


Bubblegum Flavored

by StarvingLunatic



Category: Kim Possible (Cartoon)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Anime Spoilers, Apocalypse, Artificial Intelligence, Banter, Crime Fighting, Crushes, Drama, Epic, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, KiGo, Lesbian Character, Mad Science, Mystery, Novel, Outer Space, Robots, Rock and Roll, Vigilantism, Wordcount: Over 100.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-12
Updated: 2011-02-21
Packaged: 2018-06-05 07:39:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 165,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6695839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarvingLunatic/pseuds/StarvingLunatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>KP fusion with the anime Bubblegum Crisis 2040. When Kim moves to Mega Go City, she joins the Knight Sabers to fight against berserker Bebes while something darker involving Gemini and Drakken seems to be going on. Eventually KiGo, BetViv, and TaraFelix</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. “Blood on the ground”

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this concept. The characters are owned by Disney and the concept comes from the anime “Bubblegum Crisis 2040.” In the spirit of BGC 2040, all the chapters here will be named after songs. This chapter title is a song by Incubus. 
> 
> Warning: there will be some OOC in this fic to try to get the KP characters to fit the BGC characters they’re replacing.
> 
> Second warning: this will eventually be KiGo and Bet/Viv, so if that bothers you, run while you have the chance.

Bubblegum Flavored

1: “Blood on the ground”

Go City was incredible! Kim could not believe her eyes as she turned to look around the main square of her new home and work area. She had been acting like a tourist since she arrived, which was to be expected. Going from a town like Middleton to the new Mega-Go City was like going from living in a cardboard box to living in a mansion with all of the luxuries one could imagine. Kim’s senses were overloaded with each turn of her head. 

The buildings in Mega-Go City seemed to touch the heavens to Kim, especially the ones in the business district of the city, which was where Kim worked. She recently got a job at one of the largest corporations in Go City, the Gemini Corporation. It was the cause for her move from home, Middleton and her parents’ house, to Go City and her own apartment.

“Kim, girlfriend, if you keep looking around with your mouth open like that, you’re going to attract flies,” Kim’s best friend and now coworker, Monique, remarked with a teasing smile as she came up behind the redhead. 

Monique patted Kim on the shoulder in an encouraging manner. With a laugh, Kim turned to Monique and managed a smile. Monique smiled back and then turned her eyes to the sky for a moment.

“Come on, we’ve got to get lunch soon to avoid being late for work.” Monique began to stroll off, moving through throngs of people.

Kim’s face scrunched up and she shook her head a little. “How can you tell what time it is when you don’t even have on a watch?” she asked, trotting off after her friend. She knew Monique could not tell the time of day from the position of the sun.

Monique stopped, letting Kim catch up so that she could answer the very good question. She then turned to the left and pointed at a line in the sky. Kim knew what that was — the Sky Hook. It moved supplies from Earth to space. It was the new pet project of the Gemini Corporation. She recalled the company had actually tried to contract her father to work on it.

Her father was a world-renowned rocket scientist and well known for his inventive ideas for space travel and space exploration. Her father had no intention of leaving his hometown to work for a company he did not trust much anyway. He was not too thrilled when Kim left home to work for that same company, but understood she needed to find her own way in the world.

Kim probably would not have left to work for the Gemini Corporation, but a few things factored into her decision. One was that her best friend worked there, so at least she knew someone at the company and in the city. Two, the company would pay for her to go to college after she worked there for a year and continued to work there when she started school. The university she wanted to go to was in Go City, so it made sense to her to have a job and to get her education paid for while she could. The Corporation also provided her with an apartment nearby, so she did not have to worry about locating a place to live. Not to mention, she would get a feel for being totally independent.

“You tell time from looking at the Sky Hook?” Kim inquired with an arched eyebrow. As advanced as the city was, they used the Sky Hook as a sundial? She supposed it gave them a certain charm, but it was still strange. 

Monique shrugged. “You’ll get used to it. I know I did. The shadow of the Sky Hook makes it easy to tell what time it is without a watch from all around the city. The only time I get into trouble is if I’m out at night. Then, who knows what time it is.”

Nodding, Kim chuckled a bit. “Gemini certainly is trying something daring with this program,” she commented with some bite, more speaking to herself than anything else. She frowned a bit, which her friend noticed. 

“Do you think the Sky Hook and this energy program will actually work?” Monique asked as they turned to go get their lunch, focus leaving the Sky Hook for now.

With a sigh, Kim shrugged. “I don’t know. My dad thinks it’s a stupid idea. I think I agree. I mean, we keep stripping the Earth of resources and instead of taking care of that problem, we just go out into space to strip some place else of its resources. Doesn’t sound too bright to me.” 

Monique nodded. “Always thinking like the hero you are.” An amused smile settled onto her face. She agreed with her friend’s thoughts, though.

“Not really,” Kim answered. “Saving kittens out of trees and things aren’t really all that heroic.”

Monique rolled her eyes. Sometimes her friend’s humble nature was annoying. Back at home, Kim was truly a hero and it went way beyond saving kittens in trees. She had done serious work, like foiling bank robberies. One time, she pulled a couple out of a burning car and saved a kid from drowning. She did enough to be made an honorary police officer when she was still in high school.

“Speaking of heroes, have you seen _them_?” Kim asked with wide as they continued their walk through the large square with a few trees and lawns decorating the area. There were not many green areas in this part of town. This would take some getting used to for Kim, along with the din of the city.

It was Monique’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Them?” she echoed.

“You know, _them_ ,” Kim said, placing super-emphasis on her last word. She even did a hand gesture, pretending to throw a punch, as if that would help. Surprisingly enough, it helped her friend catch her drift. 

“Oh, them. You’re kidding me, right?” Monique drew back a little and scoffed. “You don’t actually believe in the ‘champions of justice,’ Knight Sabers, do you?” Monique bit back a laugh. She could not believe her rather intelligent friend could believe in such rubbish.

“Yes, I do. I read about them all the time on the Internet back home. I was even able download some stuff about them. They’re cool,” Kim declared as they finally got to their destination. She seemed quite proud of the fact that she was able to download stuff about a fictional group, as far as her friend was concerned anyway.

For a moment, their conversation was paused. The food court of the business district was a zoo. This was something Kim would definitely have to get used to. It was not so much that everyone had lunch at the same time, but just that there always seemed to be people everywhere, no matter what time of day it was in Go City. 

“Bueno Nacho isn’t usually too bad and it’ll be like home,” Monique said, pointing to the restaurant. It was near the end of the row of eateries located on top of a parking garage. People seemed to like the view of the city while they ate.

“Yeah, I like that,” Kim agreed. It would be nice to have a little reminder of home in such a foreign place.

Bueno Nacho was not too crowded, as promised. Monique had just discovered a lot of the older folks refused to eat at Bueno Nacho because they thought of it as a children’s restaurant and also as a poor man’s place to eat. A lot of things were about image in the business district and eating at Bueno Nacho was bad for the image. It was a good thing for that because it meant waiting for food at Bueno Nacho did not take most of the lunch hour. Monique made sure to explain this all to Kim.

Sure, Monique was all about her image in some respects, but others not so much; having a decent lunch in a reasonable time was one of those things. She had also dropped some of image-consciousness since working for the Gemini Corporation consisted of a work uniform that she was expected to wear everyday at work; mulberry was not a color that she enjoyed. In fact, seeing it on her best friend made her think they had to look like clowns to the rest of the world. _Who the hell made their employees where mulberry skirt suits as an employee uniform?_ She did not complain, though, as it was a good paying job with some good benefits. 

“The Knight Sabers are a myth, Kim. I wouldn’t walk around mentioning them to people around here either because they’ll look at you like you’re nuts,” Monique advised her friend in slightly chiding tone as they waited on line. She honestly thought it was a ridiculous belief.

Kim scoffed and rolled her eyes. “They’re not a myth. I’ve seen stuff on them.”

“Well, I haven’t and I’ve lived in the city they supposedly operate in for a year. Everyone I’ve spoken to about it says they’ve never seen a news report with the Knight Sabers either. So, I’m more inclined to believe they’re a myth than anything else,” Monique pointed out with a shrug. 

Olive eyes blinked. “There’s never anything about them on the news? Even in Go City?” _Okay, that’s a little weird_. She had always thought she never saw any news clips on the group because she lived in Middleton, but it would seem there just was no news on the Knight Sabers at all. She supposed it could be a cover-up.

Monique steered the conversation away from the Knight Sabers to something saner, like how Kim was enjoying Go City so far. Of course, the answer to that was obvious. Kim loved it so far. 

“When I moved here, I figured it was perfect for you,” Monique said. “My first thought when I saw all the movement was ‘Kim would love this.’ I felt overwhelmed, but I knew you’d dive right in.”

Kim laughed. “Stop making fun of my natural ‘Kim-ness.’”

“I’d never make fun of it. It’s just so you.” Monique chuckled. Her natural “Kim-ness” was a term people used back home to describe Kim because they felt no other words would do.

They made it to the counter and ordered their lunch from the cashier, who was something less than human, like many things around Go City. The robot, which was blonde with soft, human-esque face that was colored completely white, gave them their orders and they paid. Kim even thanked the robot before walking off with Monique. The robot did not respond in any form aside from tell them to “come again” in a rather sweet voice. 

“Bebes kinda creep me out,” Monique commented as she went into her bag, checking to make sure she got the right order. “It doesn’t help when you talk to them like they’re people. Most of the time, they act like it, too, except maybe that one. Of course, that Bebe could’ve just been being rude, which would make them even creepier.”

So far, every “Bebe,” which were robot helpers, they had come across, Kim had reacted to the machine as if it was a person, like she had done with that cashier. They looked close to human and they acted human to a degree, so Kim never really made the connection that they were robots. Monique disliked the fact that they seemed so human and it made her uncomfortable.

“Are there Bebes in Middleton yet?” Monique asked. There were not any when she last visited. 

Kim shook her head. “Not yet. So, most of the jobs done by Bebes here are still done by regular people in Middleton.” She took a sip of her soda as they strolled down the street. Her good friend was planning to show her more of the city while they had the time. 

“I know. I did live there not too long ago,” Monique remarked with a smart-aleck smirk.

“You’re acting like you didn’t, though, talking about me talking to them like people. Besides, they’re always polite, so I have to be polite in return,” the redhead commented with a shrug. That fact was practically in her genes.

“That’s one of the things that make them so creepy. I mean, between that the fact that they look so human a lot of the time is just weird. I know that sounds a bit crazy since we work for Gemini Corporation and everything, but I still find them creepy,” Monique stated. The company they worked for made Bebes. In fact, Bebes were the company’s main products.

Kim was about to say something, but a noise from behind her caught her attention. She turned just in time to see that she was about to be mowed down by a green and black motorcycle. She quickly moved to get out of the way, but was still clipped by the side-view mirror. This caused a loud hiss to escape her throat and she tilted a little.

Kim tried to catch her balance, but she was in damned high-heel shoes; it was a part of an attempt to look professional for her first day of work. They were her downfall now, as the shoes made it too hard to regain her balance and she tilted too far to the left. She dropped the ground and spilled her soda. Her lunch tumbled from her bag, spreading out on the pavement.

“Damn it,” Kim groaned, ignoring the slight pain throbbing in her hip.

Monique let out a breath she was not even aware she was holding. “That was close.” She thought her good friend had been seriously injured there.

“Hey!” the redhead screamed down to the fleeing bike as she climbed to her feet.

There was a familiar fire in the olive eyes of Kim, which caused Monique to gulp. Things did not get better when the biker actually stopped. Kim growled in anger and took a step toward the biker, who was decked out in green and black leathers. The biker’s head was covered with a black helmet, not that they would be able to see the rider’s face because the person did not bother to turn around to face them. The leathers allowed them to know that the biker was a woman, as the outfit hugged her form enough to allot fantasies to those who wanted to stare.

“Kim, let it go. I mean, it’s not like you got killed or anything and it was sort of our fault for walking in the street,” Monique pointed out. She hoped her friend listened. She did not need Kim being Kim on her first day in Go City. “You don’t want to get mixed up with people like that around here,” she added.

“You made me spill my lunch! You owe me!” Kim called down to the biker. Monique groaned, knowing this was not going anywhere good.

The biker just stared mutely, eyes barely visible from the visor. She did not seem to care what she had done. Kim growled again. _I’m not going to just let her mock me!_ She marched down the biker.

“Hey, I said you owe me lunch!” Kim huffed. Forget the fact she had been slapped with a side-view mirror and knocked on her ass.

Monique shook her head. Apparently, Kim was the same old Possible that she recalled. She was not sure how this would play out in a new town.

“We’re going to be late for work!” Monique shouted down to her friend, hoping that would get Kim to turn around. But, that fell on deaf ears, too. Kim was obviously quite determined to see that justice came her way.

“You hear me? You owe me lunch!” Kim stood before the silent biker and stared her down with no fear in her eyes.

The motorcyclist stared right back. Suddenly, the tinted visor of the helmet was lifted, revealing cat-like emerald green eyes and a glimpse of pale, almost white skin. Kim glared even harder at the biker, whose gaze did not waver under such an intense look. And then out of the blue, the biker tapped her forehead.

“You got a little something there, princess,” the biker remarked. It almost seemed like she was laughing at the fiery redhead before her without letting loose an actual chuckle.

“What?” Kim growled and then she touched her forehead. She felt something a little wet. She looked down at her fingertips to see that they were stained scarlet. She was bleeding!

While Kim was busy inspecting her minor injury, the biker took that moment of distraction to drive off. Kim snarled at the sneaky tactic of the rider. Monique knew what was going to happen before Kim even moved.

“Oh, no you don’t! I’m not going to be completely disrespected my first freaking day here!” Kim took off after the troublesome biker.

“Kim, we’re going to be late!” Monique screamed, not that Kim seemed to care.

The redhead bolted down the stairs as the biker moved through the leveled parking garage. Kim frowned as she trotted on. The high-heel shoes made it hard to run down the stairs, but lucky for her, the motorcycle caught in traffic of the parking garage and moving somewhat slow. Still, at the rate she was going, she would definitely lose the bike and her dignity.

 _Damn it, I’m not letting this go!_ Kim was not going to be pushed around her first day or she was certain that such a fate would follow her through out her stay, which she did want to be for a long time. It would not due to be cursed with at least five years of bad luck.

Olive eyes scanned for a better way to get down to the ground rather than just taking the stairs. She noticed an opening to the side and decided to go through it. She flipped off of the stairs to the window-like opening in the garage, landing on a narrow ledge. She spotted a narrow pipe going to the street a few yards away. It would get her to the ground and it would probably hold her.

Kim wasted no time taking a running leap at the pipe and snagged it with no problem. She slid down the pole like a fireman would just as her target exited the garage. The biker must have noticed her because the helmeted offender looked upward. She stayed parked right there, as if she wanted to see Kim pull off this stunt since the pipe stopped a couple of stories before the ground. Could a corporate worker make that leap?

Kim obviously did not care about where the ground began and kept going down. She let go of the pipe just as it ran out. She landed with the grace of a cat… until the heel of her shoes snapped off. She sucked her teeth as she lost her balance for the second time in five minutes. She stayed on her feet that time and held her arms out, blocking the path of the bike.

“You owe me lunch,” Kim stated once again, standing strong. She was not out of breath either. She was serious about being compensated with a new lunch apparently, which was interesting and amusing.

The biker could be heard snickering behind the helmet while shaking her head. She then simply turned the bike around and blazed off the other way. Kim snarled as the rider left her in the dust. The rider had to dodge a broken shoe as she made her getaway, but it was a very good throw. Kim could be heard screaming in frustration several blocks over as her shoe fell to the street.

-8-8-8-8-

“Miss Possible, this isn’t a good habit that you’re working yourself into and it reflects poorly on the company for you to come in late, missing a shoe, a torn shirt, sweaty, and wounded. How are you supposed to see customers in such a state?”

Kim was silent for a moment while being reprimanded by one of her bosses; this one happened to be a Bebe. The Bebe looked similar to the one that had serviced Kim and Monique when they went to Bueno Nacho. This Bebe was blonde, though its hair was long and done in a different style, and her skin was just as white. She was dressed in the Gemini Corporation colors, but her suit was different from Kim’s and Monique’s to indict she held a higher position in the company.

“I can’t believe I’m being scolded by a Bebe,” Kim grumbled. This might help ensure she would always treat them like people, though.

“I may be a Bebe, but I am still in charge of this floor and I do have give you assessments and rate your skill at your job. It would behoove you to refrain from making such statements and just do your job to the best of your ability. Do you understand?” the Bebe inquired.

“I understand perfectly well,” Kim replied, trying to keep her face from being tense, but she was tight thanks to that stupid chase. Her first full day in Go City and she was already hoping things did not get any worse.

“Good. Clean yourself up as much as possible and never let this happen again, as this will be reflected in your evaluation.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Then, please, carry on working.”

Kim sighed and was dismissed. She went back to her cubicle and frowned rather harshly while glaring at the empty desk as if it was the one that wronged her. The desk was probably the only thing in Go City that had yet to get on her nerves, though.

The place that Kim worked looked like most other corporate offices. There were cubicles with short walls separating them spread out through the floor. The cubicles were all lined up in a row to give the place a sense of order and efficient. All of the low-level employees on her floor wore the company uniforms, just like she did. It seemed like a rather boring place to work, she had thought the first time she set foot in there that morning. It would seem she was wrong if getting in trouble counted as excitement.

“Damn lousy biker, nearly killing me and then getting me in trouble. Damn Bebe, can’t reason with a freaking machine, which is probably why they put on in charge. No human sympathy or anything like that,” Kim grumbled, turning her computer on. The computer was the only thing on desk, mostly because it came with the desk.

She decided to get to work, hoping to avoid any more problems for the day at least. She was able to get a few things done before her stomach started to grumble, obviously upset that it had been unintentionally neglected for the afternoon. She sighed and climbed up from her slightly uncomfortable seat, going in search for something to soothe her empty belly.

“Kim, try not to take too long. The floor boss is a bitch about these things,” Monique warned her friend.

Kim nodded to show she heard, but she did not reply. She doubted a trip to the vending machine could take too long, so she should be fine. She made it to the vending machines without a problem and scanned the machine for what she wanted. Just as she was about to put her money in, she was distracted from her task.

“Hey, you new around here?” a somewhat deep, smooth voice inquired from behind her.

Kim twirled around to see a tall young man with blonde hair standing before her. He was large and wide with an athletic build. He was dressed professionally and smiling down at her with an almost sweet look on his face.

Olive eyes narrowed on him for a moment. “Yes, I’m new,” she admitted in a slightly guarded tone.

“Cool. You’re Kim, huh?” he asked.

“How’d you know?” she countered, feeling just a little more suspicious. Quickly, she assessed the situation to be able to get away if need be.

“You’re the only new employee to come on this week. Besides, I’m supposed to keep up with these things. So, how do you like this place so far?” he inquired in a curious, but friendly tone while motioning around the bland hall.

Kim glanced away. “It’s fine, I guess. Having Bebes for bosses is a little different…” she muttered. She did not want to really talk about it.

“I know what you mean. The one on this floor is a real hard-ass. Oh, I’m Brick Flagg,” he said, just remembering to introduce himself. “So, aside from the job, how’s everything else? You like the city?”

“I haven’t gotten the chance to see much of it yet,” she confessed with a slight laugh. She hoped to see as much of it as she could the moment she got a chance, though. The plan was for Monique to show her some of the city when her schedule was clear in a couple of days and Kim planned to get lost a few times on her own while waiting for Monique to have time for her. She could not help it, being the adventurous type and all.

“That’s too bad. It’s a nice place. Maybe I could show you around a bit,” he volunteered with a charmingly boyish smile.

Kim thought on it briefly. Having a tour guide just once might help since she did not know her way around the city. Agreeing also gave her an excuse to get out and see the city. After all, if she left it up to herself, she knew she would always allow something to come up and it would take her forever to see the whole city on her own despite the fact that she had plans to get lost in the city.

“Sounds good,” she agreed.

Brick nodded and Kim took her leave, forgetting to get herself something to eat. He smirked to himself as he watched her walk away. He shook his head.

“Damn, that is one fine new employee,” he mumbled. Luckily enough for him, Kim did not hear.

In fact, Kim was busy thinking her luck might have changed. After all, she would get to see the city and she had someone to show her around. Before she made it back to her desk, she found out that she had that thought way too soon.

“Miss Possible, you were not authorized to leave your area. That is one demerit,” the floor boss Bebe informed her.

“I had to get something to eat.”

“And yet you do not have any food. Please, get back to work.”

Kim groaned and scowled. And then to top matters off, her stomach growled, almost like it agreed with the Bebe since she neglected it yet again. Apparently, the bad luck continued. Maybe she should just go home and never get out of bed again rather than risk going out on such a day. But then again, she was never one to back down just because of a little misfortune.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: meet some other characters, find out how Kim’s night with Brick goes, and see if the Knight Sabers are just a myth.


	2. “If I Fall”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this concept. Disney owns the characters and the concept comes from the anime “Bubblegum Crisis 2040.” Chapter title is a Bone Thugs-n-Harmony song. 

2: “If I Fall”

“This is boring. How is it that we get to ride around the most exciting neighborhood in the whole city and still we don’t have anything to do,” Ron Stoppable complained from the passenger seat of the car. He was reclined back with his feet on the dashboard and his hands behind his head. The bright lights of the “most exciting neighborhood in the whole city” sparkled and flashed outside.

“Get your damn feet off of the dashboard, boy,” his partner, Steve Barkin, commanded in with a frown. With one hand off of the steering wheel, he knocked Ron’s feet away.

“Hey!” Ron curled away a little. “I would’ve moved if you would’ve given me the chance.” The blond young man readjusted the way that he sat before his partner had a cow. He frowned and squirmed a little, wanting his comfortable position back, but he really did not want to hear the older man’s mouth.

“Whatever and stop complaining about how boring everything is,” Barkin huffed. He gave Ron a scowl for good measure. His face was tense, his thick jaw tight, but then again, he always looked like that as far as Ron knew.

“Well, you have to admit that being on the GJ force has been boring lately. I mean, _they’re_ making this boring,” Ron complained, folding his arms across his chest. Rufus scuffled out of his pocket and ran up his arm to pat him on his shoulder, trying to lift his spirits. Ron glanced at his pet/friend, but he did not change his slightly upset expression.

“Don’t even mention _them_. And what have I told you about bringing that rodent out with us on patrol?” Barkin yelled, his grip on the steering tightening as he pictured it as Ron’s neck. _Why does this damned kid not listen?_  

“Hey, he’s helpful and he gets lonely at home by himself,” Ron explained in defense of Rufus’ presence. The naked mole rat nodded powerfully, as if punctuating his owner’s words.

Barkin grumbled something about “damn country bumpkins.” Ron rolled his eyes and focused ahead of them as Barkin continued to drive through the city at night. They were in one of the rougher parts of the so-called mega city. In the darkness of night, it looked much like the wasteland many people thought it was, a wasteland with flashing lights advertising vices for all.

Ron, having spent the last year in Mega-Go City, thought of much of the city as a wasteland now. Of course, when he first came, he was rather impressed with the whole place. But, after a year and being a police officer had shattered his illusion of the place, as well as other things. Despite his dislikes of the city, he was quite pleased having moved there since it held plenty of things that he found quite interesting, things that were quite expensive. This was one of his biggest pet peeves about the city.

Ron had this job to pay for his expensive habits, like playing games, both at home and in the massive arcades, and going to the movies. He was a sucker for the theaters with reclining seats and 3-D. It did not help that he loved almost all genres of movies, except romance, so he went to the movies a lot.

He was part of GJ, which was a special police force in the city. When he first got to the city, he could only wonder the purpose of the force. He decided to join just because he needed money for school and he figured he had some experience in the law enforcement thanks to needing service credits in high school, so joining the GJ force was a no-brainer. One day, he figured he would start doing research before leaping into things because the GJ police force was not what he thought it was at all.

First of all, all GJ did was fight Bebes that went berserker. It happened more often than he would have ever believed before joining the force. Before coming to GJ, he never would have thought that Bebes went insane or malfunctioned. They were supposedly as safe as toasters. Well, he had yet to meet a toaster that tried to kill him and he doubted that he ever would. At least the job paid well and it was easy to get a promotion.

“Maybe we should pull over and get a slice of pizza or something,” Ron suggested, looking out of the window as they passed by several restaurants. He got a cheer from Rufus.

Barkin gagged and pulled a disgusted face. “You eat pizza while in the Devil’s Playground? Do you have any idea what could be in that stuff?”

“Cheese,” Ron replied and Rufus echoed that sentiment. As long as it had cheese on it, they could careless what else was in it. “What, it’s not like they put chopped up prostitutes in it.” 

“They might.”

“Then we’ll just avoid the pepperoni.”

Barkin rolled his eyes and shook his head. He could not wait for the night to be over. Ron was being more annoying than usual. How he got stuck with the snot-nosed, freckled-face kid was beyond him. He needed dispatch to call them and let them know it was time for them to return to the headquarters. For once, things went his way and he got that call. _Maybe my luck isn’t all rotten_ , he considered. 

“Stevie!” a cutesy female voice cried over the communication unit in the car. Ron snickered while Barkin snarled.

“I told you not to call me that!” Barkin hollered in response. 

“If I can’t call you that, then I can’t tell you that you and Ronnie can come back,” the voice pointed out, practically cooing.

Ron was unfazed by the nickname while Barkin was practically steaming from his anger. Ron laughed a little more as he heard giggling coming through the intercom. Barkin snarled in fury and it was surprising that smoke did not come out of his ears.

“Not only do I have to put up with _them_ beating me to my business, but I have to deal with _her_ in the business!” Barkin snorted, wishing there was something around for him to put his fist through.

“Calm down. At least we can go in and I can find food that won’t have chopped up prostitutes in it,” Ron remarked. Barkin glared at him as if he was worse than ten berserk Bebes.

-8-8-8-8-

“What’re you laughing about?” a uniformed GJ operator asked as she walked up to her friend’s workstation. 

“Stevie-poo is so funny!” a blond young woman chuckled while stretching in her chair. Her long hair swayed a bit as she moved and her eyes lit up from her amusement.

“You’re always tormenting him, Tara. He didn’t do anything to you.”

“I know. I’m not tormenting him. I think he’s so cute and he deserves a cute nickname to go along with that. Ronnie accepts his nickname,” the blond, Tara, pointed out with a bright smile that people had come to expect from the young operator.

“Well, Ron doesn’t count. He accepts everything. He’s so laid back.”

“I know he is. It’s kinda cute.” Tara yawned and rubbed her eye briefly. She stretched in her chair a little bit to help her stiff joints. The body was not made to sit still for that long, she thought.

“It’s time for you to go home, isn’t it?” 

“Yeah, but I’m not yawning because I’m tired. I’m yawning because it’s boring. I need more excitement than this!” Tara declared with a grin as she stood up and punched her fist into her palm with her usual energy. The bright smile never left her face.

The coworker chuckled. “Oh, yeah?” she sounded quite skeptical. She could not see someone like Tara, kind-hearted and somewhat naïve, doing something that had a little more excitement. “What the hell would you do that had more excitement?” she inquired. _This oughta be good_.

Tara was silent for a moment. Her teal eyes then lit up with delight. She obviously had a brilliant answer. Her coworker really could not wait to hear it. 

“I would be a Knight Saber!” Tara threw up her fist.

The coworker’s expression fell into a deadpan expression. “You’re dumber than I thought you are,” she remarked, almost sounding serious about it. Really, it was more like Tara was sillier than she thought.

Tara giggled. “You don’t think I would make a good Knight Saber?”

“I’m pretty sure a berserker Bebe would kill a klutz like you.”

Tara pretended to pout and her shoulders dropped in defeat. “You’re so mean!”

“I’m just telling the truth. Go home, Tara, and stop having such weird thoughts.”

Tara chuckled and nodded. She packed up her things and headed home. She hoped it would be a quiet night, just as boring as work. She really was not sure if she could handle more than being able to fall into bed for a good night’s sleep.

-8-8-8-8-

“This part of town is called the Devil’s Playground. When that huge quake hit the city a few years back, most people just wanted to leave this part of town to sink, but for some reason, it bounced back faster than any other part of town,” Brick explained, walking through the well-lit area with Kim.

Kim could guess why it was the first to bounce back. It appeared they were in Go City’s red light district. Well, if all of the sex shops and adult entertainment places were a clue to anything. She was close to regretting she had stupidly agreed to go out with Brick. He did not seem to have the same idea in mind that she had when it came to giving a tour of the city. Still, at least she was getting to see the city, even if it was some place she planned to never go again.

“You know you can get damn near anything around here. It’s the top place in the whole country for adult entertainment,” Brick explained, as if she was supposed to be impressed by that.

“Yeah, I could guess that one,” Kim remarked with a frown on her face. He did not seem to get the hint that she was not interested in knowing anything more about the place.

Kim had actually never seen a place like the Devil’s Playground in person, only on television and on the Internet. As far as she knew, Middleton did not have places like this in the town. She had seen all of Middleton many times over, too. She had traveled other places, but again, never seen anything like the Devil’s Playground. It was because she had never seen anything like it that kept her attention, but she was far from impressed with it. 

The pair wandered down the street, passed drunken couples, working girls, and stores that did little to hide what they peddled. Kim got to see that the place was not all about adult entertainment. There were a few places here and there that had little to do with sex, drugs, alcohol, or gambling. Still, it was not some place Kim would ever hang out. But, something did get her attention.

While Brick was talking about something that Kim had tuned out and was tugging her to go some place, she caught sight of a poster. The poster probably would not have grabbed many people as it was set to a black background in the dark night. It was also not very creative as it was only a pair of eyes and advertising of a band. It was the eyes that caught Kim, though.

The familiar emerald green eyes in the poster glared out at Kim and were hard to ignore. She made a quick read of the poster: _Shattered Comet now playing the Bermuda Triangle_. In the right corner in lime green letters were the words: featuring Shego. Kim made a point to commit that to memory as Brick dragged her off to show her something else she was sure she did not want to see.

They walked past a small park area that did not look too out of place thanks to the dark. There were a few Bebes and other robots working in the park, cleaning it up surprisingly enough. Kim and Brick did not even pay the working group any mind, but Kim spared them a glance.

A spark seemed to pass through one Bebe. The machine flinched, but continued working. Another, larger spark went through the circuits and that one was visible. It looked almost like a small jolt of lightning ran through the Bebe. The blond bot’s eyes began to glow a bright white.

-8-8-8-8-

Eventually, Kim and Brick made it to a little more savory part of the Devil’s Playground. He brought her to quite the nice restaurant. She actually felt slightly undressed for the establishment considering the fact that she had come out in her usual clothes, not thinking they would be doing anything that resemble a date, which she was also not too keen on. It would seem Brick thought there was a lot more to this night than she did if the restaurant made anything.

The place was large with crystal chandlers on the ceiling. The walls were a warm cream color. There were large windows on the far end, which were quite beautiful. The atmosphere of the place was actually friendly and comforting, making it sort of stand out considering the part of town that it was located in. It did show that the Devil’s Playground was not all about grimy and seedy establishments. _This might be where the more wealthy members of Go City bring their call girls_.

Kim shook away any distracting thoughts, but was ready to go home already. She glanced out of a nearby window. Had they been out long enough where she could make up some excuse and leave? She sucked her teeth ever so slightly. Damn it, what a time to have left her watch and phone at home. Brick seemed to notice her frustration for the first time that night. 

“What’s wrong?” Brick inquired with a slight scowl, sounding more annoyed than like he cared. He thought she should be paying attention to him than looking around. He was the one that was taking her out, so he deserved her focus, he believed.

“I was just wondering what time it is. I can’t use the shadow of the Sky Hook at night,” Kim replied. She had quickly and easily picked up on the trick of telling time using the Sky Hook. She thought it was somewhat cool. What? She came from a nerdy family. She found a lot of nerdy things cool. _Too bad sundials don’t work at night_.

He actually glared at her. “What does it matter what time it is? We’re having a good time and everything. I mean, it’s not like you got a curfew or nothing, right?” He thought she was trying to ditch him, which, of course, pissed him off. He had taken his time out to set up a date and she needed to appreciate that and him in his opinion. 

“Doesn’t mean I don’t have a bedtime, though,” Kim remarked, but she doubted he would see the humor in the joke, even with the little smile on her face to help show that she was trying to be funny.

“Come on, we’re both adults. Don’t act like you’re not having a good time,” Brick countered with an arrogant smirk.

“My, you are full of yourself,” she replied with a scoff. She supposed he had to have something going for him since she was pretty sure his brain abandoned him a long time ago. She suspected whatever job he did at the Gemini Corporation involved the least amount of thinking that was humanly possible. He might be a spare bookshelf or someone’s desk. From the muscles, she considered he might just be the guy who opened the jars at the company. 

Brick seemed to get that was not a compliment and a frown moved onto his face. “Hey, you think you can just rip me after I bothered to bring you out.”

Olive eyes rolled. “Oh, be still my beating heart, my dear knight in shining armor.”

“You know, you should be nicer to me. I am the person that’s in charge of the new sales’ representatives.” Brick gave her a devilish smirk. “That Bebe on your floor gives her assessments to me and I decide whether or not you can keep your job.”

Kim frowned. _How the hell did he get that job?_ He had to know someone or was someone’s kid. Beyond that, she had just learned another valuable lesson of the day: always find out the position of a person before accepting a “date” from that person. Before she could make a smart remark, the tranquility of the restaurant was disturbed. 

An explosion rocked the place as the wall burst open and debris went flying everywhere. The patrons ducked and shielded their faces from all of the soaring rubble. Screams echoed throughout the space.

“Humans are imperfect…” a mechanical female voice buzzed. 

A Bebe stepped into the restaurant, eyes glowing a bright white with flashes pouring out. The machine roared like a furious dragon, complete with sharp teeth, catching everyone’s attention. The robot turned toward them and the people made a mad dash toward the exit, as if they knew just what was about to happen.

“Destroy,” the Bebe muttered.

Kim turned to Brick, about to inform him that they needed to get out of there. His seat was empty, though. She turned toward the rest of the patrons and saw Brick shoving his way to the front of the crowd. She sighed. _What a coward_.

-8-8-8-8-

“Officers are needed at the Blue Diamond restaurant. All units nearby respond,” dispatch informed Barkin and Ron as they were headed back to GJ HQ. 

“Don’t make the crazy turn!” Ron’s plea fell on deaf ears as Barkin did one of his patented wild U-turns. He wished they could just back to headquarters if the older man was going to act all insane about things.

“I don’t want _them_ to beat us to this one!” Barkin hissed as he turned the wheel to head back into the direction that they just left.

Ron just held on for dear life and hoped that his partner did not flip the car. Barkin pressed his foot to the gas and pushed the car to go as fast as it could. The white and midnight blue police sedan roared as it was put to work. He was not about to be made to look like a jackass again, he silently vowed. He was going to do his damn job, he promised himself. 

“We’re going to stop that thing,” Barkin said.

“If you don’t kill us on the way there, anyway,” Ron remarked. Of course, this only made Barkin go faster.

-8-8-8-8-

“Damn it, hopefully, I don’t end up late again because of this,” a muffled voice grumbled from behind a black motorcycle helmet as jade eyes caught sight of a flash on the instruments on the handlebars. The familiar black and green bike increased sped, which was already about double the limit anyway. The bike hummed as it went even faster down the highway.

-8-8-8-8-

“Why does this always happen when I’m in the shower!” Tara wailed, charging down the street in nothing more than a bathrobe. God, she hoped most of the people in her neighborhood were asleep by now, hating to think she might be giving some pervert a show. Her hair dripped onto the grey concrete of the sidewalk. 

She made it to the corner and had a panicked look on her face. _How the hell is she not here yet?_ Tara was seriously ready to cry. It did not help that it was a cool night and she was out in a bathrobe. Thankfully, her ride showed up seconds later; a dark pink trunk that was a cross between a tracker-trailer and a camper. Tara leaped in, just happy to be out of the cold.

“Do you know I just gave the whole city a freaking show?” Tara whined. She glanced down and noticed her chest, which was wet and her nipples were hard as rocks. “A real show!” She really was about to cry.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim tried to figure out what to do about being trapped in a small room with a raging Bebe while everyone else in the restaurant tried to push through one exit. She doubted she would make it through the crowd of about a hundred patrons to get out that way, even if she pulled out some tricks. She needed some other place to go to avoid all of the people and possibly getting crushed.

The Bebe roared again, sounding what most people would think a dinosaur would sound like. It yanked at the furniture and threw around the tables and chairs nearby. The insane robot ripped through metal beams supporting the ceiling like they were made of paper. Screams from frightened patrons barely made it over the shrieks coming from the malfunctioning machine. 

Kim spied an exit as the Bebe moved deeper into the room, destroying whatever was in its path. The door was clear, but it was on the opposite end of the place. There were obstacles in the way, unfortunately. All sorts of debris had managed to land in her path to the exit. Kim did not care about those things, though.

“Hey, there’s another exit this way!” Kim called to the panicking people, hoping to save someone else and not just her own skin. 

No one paid the redhead any mind, no one that she wanted to anyway. The Bebe turned to her and roared in her direction. Kim gulped.

“Me and my big mouth,” she muttered as the Bebe took off after her.

Kim shot off toward the exit as the Bebe thrashed toward her, flinging tables and things in her direction. Kim jumped and flipped over broken furniture, trying to make it to the door before the Bebe got her. She actually got a little help to the door. It was not help she really wanted, though.

The robot reached Kim and batted in the back, sending her through the door when she was only inches from it. Kim’s chest slammed into the guardrail to the fire escape stairs. She coughed in pain as the agonizing sensation coursed through her body. Touching her mouth, she was glad to see no signs of blood. 

The Bebe came up behind Kim, shaking the stairs with powerful strides and took a downward punch toward Kim. It would seem that the robot wanted to pound Kim’s head into her ass, but thanks to her fast reflexes, Kim was able to dodge. The blow went through the bars, twisting the metal and destroying part of the stairs.

The Bebe was not bothered by the miss and grabbed Kim, crushing her shoulder and preparing for another hit. “Humans are imperfect…” the machine muttered and then roared an ungodly noise.

“Damn it,” Kim mumbled, certain she was about to have her whole face broken in. _How the hell can my luck get any worse today?_

Before the blow landed, Kim could have sworn she heard something humming, like a gentle engine. A green and black armored suit suddenly dropped out of the sky, kicking the Bebe in the face for good measure. The Bebe lurched and let go of Kim. The robot fell against the already injured staircase, further tearing the metal. The grass-colored metallic suit came back in for second hit, now with a fist blazing a bright emerald fire. Unfortunately to come in for that hit, the armored suit needed to push off of the stairs.

The stairs groaned and creaked before pulling away from the building they were connected to. The rocking caused the three on the stairs to tumbled, all of them almost losing footing and plummeting ten stories. The bottom part of the stairs separated from the top, splitting the stairs in half. The guardrail sheered away from the rest.

Kim fell backwards because of all of the movement, but was able to grab the guardrail to avoid falling to her death. She tried pulling herself up, which she knew she would have been able to do, if only she was not already hurt. Her ribs whined in protest from the strain of trying to lift herself up. Her shoulder throbbed as well, but Kim refused to give up.

The deep green suit flung the Bebe away and then dropped down next to Kim, holding the opposite side of the stairs. The suit pointed downward. Kim looked down to see a red and pink armored suit on the ground.

“You want me to jump?” Kim inquired with a skeptical look on her face. The green suit nodded.

Kim scoffed. Normally, she would not think twice about it, but her ribs and her shoulder were not up to par for such antics. This was a twenty-story drop, after all.

“I’d ask if you’re insane, but that’s damn obvious,” she remarked.

The jade and onyx suit did a different gesture. A gloved finger went to a covered forehead, tapping the area. On Kim’s head, that was the place that she had her little scar. A light bulb went off in Kim’s head. The redhead sighed and let go of the rail. She glared at the green suit all the way down.

“Gotcha!” the red and pink suit declared while flying up to catch Kim. 

While the red suit of armor saved Kim, the green suit went to handle the berserker Bebe. Kim was placed gently on the ground in the narrow alleyway and then next thing she knew, the red suit was gone. She looked up at the roof, but she could not see what was happening thanks to darkness devouring the alley’s view halfway up the building. She could hear the battle going on, metal slamming against metal. Shortly, the sounds of sirens accompanied that din.

Moments later, the sounds ended as a police car pulled up to the scene. Barkin and Ron hopped out of their patrol car just in time to see two flashes of red lights leaving the scene. Barkin swore loudly while punching the car door with the side of his fist while a scowl settled on his hard face. The car cried out, but was not wounded thanks to the blow.

“Looks like we missed the action again,” Ron commented with a light laugh. He was not as amused as he sounded, but he was nowhere near as pissed as his partner. At least they did not have to almost die tonight.

-8-8-8-8- 

Kim’s body throbbed with pain, but she came into work like a woman on a mission. She marched passed her own desk and went right to her boss’ area. Brick was on the phone and it did not sound like a business call. She tapped him on the shoulder just as his voice dropped into a smooth and seductive whisper. He turned around and saw her, so a charming, warm smile automatically went to his face.

“Hey, I wanted to tell you all about the night I had with you,” Kim said, sounding a little coy and interested. She leaned down in a manner that gave him a bit of a view of her chest, which was slightly on display because she left the last two buttons on the top of her shirt undone. 

“Cool,” Brick said, still smiling. “Give me a moment.” He turned his attention to the phone. “I’ll call you back.” He hung up and turned his attention back to Kim. He smiled even more than he had been doing and smoothed out his hair before motioning her to continue what she was saying.

“Yeah, yesterday was something else,” she commented, a bright smile painting her features.

“I know. I’m glad you made it out all right. That thing with the Bebes almost never happens. I don’t know what was with it,” he replied, as if that somehow excused what he did last night. 

“I’m sure it doesn’t. Just like I’m sure you almost never abandon women in such dangerous situations,” she remarked with a half-smirk. Forget the fact that he had abandoned her to almost get killed, but there was the little matter that he had tried to blackmail her.

“Oh, about that…” he stammered, groping his mind for an excuse. 

“No, no, no, it’s no problem,” she cooed as she leaned down and put her hand over his. He glanced over at the contact that she began and he smiled.

“Well, if that’s how you feel about it, how about we go out again?” he proposed, smiling as if he was the greatest thing in the world.

She chuckled and then sprang her trap. She grabbed his fingers and bent them back. He hissed in pain and tried to get out of the hold by standing up. She kept her hold and forced him to stay down.

“If you ever in your life try something like that again, not just leaving me in the sign of danger, but leaving any girl, I won’t forgive you. And also, if you do any more of this sexual harassment crap, I won’t forgive you and this isn’t even a fraction of the pain I can cause you,” Kim snarled before pushing him away.

She walked off as if nothing happened. She decided that she was done taking being pushed around by Go City. She was Kim Possible, after all. She could do anything.

-8-8-8-8- 

The side door to a nightclub opened to a dark, narrow alley. A nonchalant Shego stepped out of the building, her hands shoved into the pockets of her black leather jacket. She seemed almost oblivious to dangerous vibe of the filthy passageway. She turned to walk to the mouth of the alley and was surprised to find her path was being blocked. Before her stood a fired up looking redhead.

“What’s the matter? You look like someone peed in your cereal,” Shego remarked with a cruel smirk. 

“You think you’re pretty clever?” Kim inquired with a challenging glint in her eye.

“Yeah, I do,” Shego replied, same expression. 

The redhead frowned, but she did not move. Shego studied her for a moment. _What is with this girl?_ Why did the girl insist on bugging her? Shego actually enjoyed it, though. All the attention let her know that she really got on someone’s nerves, which she liked to insist was her goal in life. 

“What do you want, Princess? Want me to kiss you boo-boo and make it all better?” Shego teased, pointing to her forehead to show she was referring to Kim’s scar.

“I want to be a Knight Saber,” Kim declared. Shego only chuckled a bit while shaking her head.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Kim tries to go after her dream by investigating the Knight Sabers.


	3. “Guarded”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this concept. Disney owns the characters and the concept comes from the anime “Bubblegum Crisis 2040.” The chapter title is a song by Disturbed.

3: “Guarded”

“How the hell could you let the Knight Sabers beat you to that Bebe again?” the roar practically shook GJ headquarters.

Barkin and Ron grimaced together as their boss let them have it in his powerful, booming voice that was known to make animals flee in terror. They were in a meeting with their boss, as well as a debriefing about their latest mess. They were trapped in a small room, which was about the size of an office space with a long table in it. They were at the table while the chief paced at the front of the room, taking his time to scream at them.

“Could you be any stupider?” How such a thunderous voice came out of such a small man boggled many minds.

The pair winced from the shrill yelling and tilted their heads to the side with tense faces. Their eyes focused almost on the dull grey floor and part of them was trying their best not to laugh. They hoped their boss did not notice their struggles. If he did, his temper would explode even more.

It was one thing to be screamed at and talked down to by their boss, but the fact that their boss — the chief of GJ — was about three feet tall and had odd mustard yellow skin made things a bit rough on their egos and tickled their humors at the same time. It did not help that he turned bright red after hollering for a long period of time. They were not the only ones who had to fight off the urge to giggle when the Chief went off.

Still, they sat there and let the little guy scream his head off, as he often did when it came to his employees. Sometimes, they took bets on who would crack first. There had been cases with officers bursting out into laughs before him, but they tended to be fired immediately after. Those consequences helped keep Ron from laughing out loud.

“You two are like reoccurring idiots! How could you possibly let them show you up again?” the chief, a man by the name of Demenz Dementor, hollered at the top of his tiny little lungs at them. The brown hair of his goatee caught a bit of spit flying out his mouth. His employees were lucky they were far enough away the shower did not touch them.

Barkin and Ron, never guys to learn their lesson, tried to explain what happened. Now, every time the Knight Sabers beat them to a crazed Bebe and they tried to explain the situation to the chief and he listened for about half-a-millisecond. After that, Chief Dementor went back to screaming. Yet, the two officers continued to try to get a word in edgewise.

“What happened—” Steve began to say and that was usually about the only thing that made it out of his mouth.

“Shut up!” Chief Dementor made a slicing motion with his hand. “I don’t care what happened! Those girls left you looking like complete morons, yet again, which I don’t doubt you are! But, you’re making my operation look bad!” Dementor’s voice was so loud the walls shook as he spoke and his voice bounced off of them. His officers resisted the urge to stick their fingers in their ears.

“Do we even know they’re girls?” Ron put a finger to his chin, pondering this new thought. Rufus hopped out of his pocket and nodded to that question while taking his own “thinking” pose on his human’s shoulder. 

“Yeah, how do we know they’re girls? They’re probably some kinds of robots or something. They might even been some new military Bebes. I mean, girls couldn’t do things like that,” Barkin said. He motioned to the front of the room, where there was a screen set up with a paused picture of the emerald and onyx armored suit.

“From the intelligence we’ve got, I’ve been told the Knight Sabers are human and from the shape of the suits, I think it’s safe to assume they’re women,” Dementor stated, glancing at the screen in front of him. He had been using it as a visual aid in chewing out his employees.

“Or guys with weird hobbies,” Ron remarked with an amused smile. His joke got a chuckle out of his usual audience — Rufus. Barkin and Dementor did not even cut him a glance to acknowledge that he spoke. He sighed. “Everyone’s a critic,” he muttered, dropping his head for a moment.

Dementor decided to play the recording up on screen for them to get a look at what they were up against. The suit was shown fighting a berserker Bebe for a few brief seconds. The green suit’s fists seemed to be on fire and the video paused before the suit delivered a blow to the Bebe.

“This is the information we were able to get on the Knight Sabers. The video feed is so short because it’s just damn hard to get anything on the Knight Sabers. Video feeds always malfunction when they show up. We have yet to figure out if that’s somehow due to their interference or some other phenomena,” Dementor said while information appeared in bubbles up on the screen.

Barkin and Ron took some time to read what the screen caps stated. They focused first on the flaming fists, where the words on screen stated the knuckle-bomb weapons on the thick, armored hand, but said nothing about the jade plasma rising off of the whole fist. It was pointed out that the armor had to be made of an exceptional metal for hands to keep form under the blaze and also from the explosions that came from the impact of the knuckle-bombs.

The captions informed there were also bombs in the feet. Barkin cut Ron a glare to keep from saying anything stupid about that. Ron held up his hands in surrender and they continued on reading.

The hands held claw-like weapons in the fingertips, like an eagle’s talons. There were also a series of holes in the underside of the hand for needle-like projectiles to come out of, but it was pointed out that the green suit rarely used that feature. Topping off the weapons of the green suit were the back and boot jets used for flying. There was only speculation on what the suit was made out of and how it was so maneuverable.

“These things are like a million times more advanced than our suits and weapons,” Barkin commented, leaning back in his chair with a tight expression on his face. A snarl tugged at his lip and his jaw was tense enough to shatter if his teeth if he was not careful. _Damn it, I hate those goddamn Knight Sabers_. How was GJ ever supposed to come out on top if those damned vigilantes had such amazing equipment?

“And slimmer,” Ron added with a smirk that said he wanted to chime in with more, but he bite his tongue.

But, Ron was right. Their armored suits looked like bulky battle tanks compared to the suits that the Knight Sabers used. Their suits moved like cheap bulldozers and hardly slowed down berserker Bebes. He did not bother to mention how much more effective the Knight Sabers’ suits were. He had done that once and was cursed out for about a week by both the boss and his partner.

“If we had half of their power, I’m sure we could leave them in the dust,” Barkin declared, hitting the table slightly just to vent some of his frustrations.

“Well, we don’t! We have what we have, so you need to go do your damn jobs!” Dementor hollered at them to the point of hurting their ears. They flinched and made faces, hoping he did not reach the volume that made their ears ring, which the boss could do.

“Well—” Barkin was about to argue. Of course, he did not make it far now that Dementor was on a roll again.

“I don’t want to hear it! Get out of my sight right now before I have you two idiots hand in your damn badges” The chief pointed to the door.

Barkin and Ron quickly rose from their chairs, causing a screeching sound to echo through the room. They rushed out of the tiny office and into the dull blue-grey hallway of the GJ building. They both sighed a little as soon as they were safely away from the madman they worked for.

“I can’t believe that guy. He’s expecting us to do the impossible over this,” Barkin groaned as they started walking. His footsteps slapped the cheap tile like it had wronged him.

Ron chuckled out of the blue, which earned him a puzzled look from his partner. He decided to explain himself before the older man started to go off on him. “You just reminded me of something I used to hear about from the town near my hometown.”

“I don’t give a shit about that little town you come from that was so deep in the boondocks it’s amazing you even knew what year it was when you came here,” Barkin stated with a growl caught in his throat.

Ron rolled his eyes and just kept talking. “Supposedly, the town close to ours had a girl that used to do all kinds of hero work or something like that. Her name was Possible or something. She was pretty good at helping people and saving people and stuff. She seemed really nice from what I heard, but some of the guys in my town said she was just made up because the people in Middleton led really boring lives and needed something spice it up. I dunno if it was true or not, but you just reminded me of that is all.”

Barkin glared down at him, looking at him like he was an idiot. “That doesn’t have a damn thing to do with this. The Knight Sabers aren’t interested in saving people or helping people. They only fight berserker Bebes and more than likely just because they like to kick ass. It gets on my nerves!” He snarled again and punched his hand into his palm. “They’re interfering with our business!” He turned, about to put his hand through the wall, but he stopped just in time. He did not need to end up in the hospital or in more trouble than he already was.

Ron chuckled again. He was pretty sure Steve joined GJ just to kick some ass. That was one of the things that made GJ different from the regular police force. Since they were always going against dangerous Bebes, they were allowed to use as much force as possible. There was always a fight with them and Barkin seemed to enjoy that; well, in Ron’s opinion anyway.

“I don’t know. I read somewhere that they’re actually military. You know, from Area 51 and crap like that,” Ron said. It made sense to him considering the damage they had seen the damn things do. Now, he was not sure if the suits were Bebes, regular robots, or armor, but they had to be military.

“You’re shitting me. I don’t want to have to deal with the army and shit later on if that’s true,” Barkin groaned. The more that he thought about the Knight Sabers, the more it pissed him off off that they even existed.

“Well, that’s what I read somewhere. I think it does make a lot of sense. I mean, how the hell else would they be able to have such cool tech? I mean, it’s not like this is a comic book and some rich nut-job decides to fight Bebes because her parents were killed by them or something like that,” Ron remarked and then he stopped and thought about it. Hmm, maybe that was actually plausible. He thought he might have to look into that when he went home.

“So, the Knight Sabers are, what, Batman?” Barkin scoffed.

Ron chuckled. “I’m impressed you know that. What does it matter if they are military?”

“Then it just means they’re testing the damn things out here and eventually we’ll be out of a job.”

Ron rolled his head to the side a little. “Yeah, that would suck. But, then again, they might let us join.”

Barkin scoffed while Ron stopped as they came up to a vending machine. The vending machine was just about Ron’s favorite place in the whole headquarters. It was stocked full of things he and Rufus loved to devour, so he could not help stopping there each and every time he passed it. Barkin frowned at him, like always, and shook his head.

“Watch out, Stevie-poo!” a cheerful voice cooed from behind Barkin.

Barkin practically jumped out of his skin as a warm hand lifted his massive arm. He was not surprised to see Tara trying to get by him. He growled at her smiling face, which only seemed to make her smile more. He glared at her and his eyes seemed to be trying to force her to flee the scene. She was not moved, though.

“I told you not to call me that!” he barked at her, almost screaming at the top of his lungs. Apparently, he did not care if he caused a scene as long as it would get her to stop calling him that ridiculous nickname.

“Aw, but it suits you so well, Stevie-poo!” she replied in a sing-song voice with a grin plastered on her face. She looked so damned proud that it pissed Barkin off even more than he was before.

Barkin’s dark eyes burned with something akin to hatred. “That’s not my name!”

Tara shrugged. “I know. That’s why people call it a nickname.” Just about the cutest and most innocent expression settled on her face.

“This is a professional workplace! Could you act like you’re over the age of ten while you’re here at least?” Barkin hollered so loudly that he blew Tara’s hair back. Her smile remained in tact, though.

“You sound as bad as Dementor right now,” Ron commented.

“You’re the only that gets bent out of shape over it. I mean, Ronnie doesn’t mind. Right, Ronnie?” Tara hummed.

“Nope,” Ron replied, mouth full of chocolate and nougat. His eyes shined from his sweet delight. Rufus sat on his shoulder, eating chocolate snacks of his own. “Really, Steve, you should cool out. You’re going to give yourself high-blood pressure or something,” he stated, his voice its typical laid back tone.

Barkin threw his hands up in defeat. There was just too much that he felt needed to be corrected with the blondes. He sighed and his shoulders slumped. The blondes seemed oblivious to his frustration, focusing on each other.

“Well, later, guys. I’ve got to get to my station,” Tara said with a smile as she marched off toward her desk.

“Later, Tara,” Ron said, waving to her back as she skipped off.

“Bye-bye!” Rufus chirped.

Barkin remained silent, happy to see her leaving. They could get back to serious matters now, he thought, instead of acting like the headquarters was a nursery school. Then, he glanced down at Ron, who looked way too happy eating a candy bar and thought better of it. _Nope, this is a nursery school_.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim sat at her desk, staring intensely at her computer. It would have been all well and good if she were actually doing any work. Unfortunately, she was just pressing her luck, which had been all bad since she moved to Go City. She knew she should learn, but her intellectual curiosity got the better of her. Her positive attitude also told her that her luck had to change eventually, so she was going to see if that “eventually” was now. Besides, she could do anything, so eventually she would be able to pull it together.

“How can there be nothing on what happened?” Kim murmured with an aggravated frown on her tense face. She searched a couple of other pages and her screen flashed with “access denied” and other things meant to stop her.

“You shouldn’t be using company computers for things that aren’t work related,” the manager Bebe said behind Kim.

Kim made a noise that almost seemed like she choked and cracked her teeth at the same time. _Damn it, do Bebes have stealth modes or something?_ It would explain why she did not hear the thing coming or feel the presence behind her. The thought was more comforting than the idea that she was out of practice already.

“I was only checking the news,” Kim explained quickly, closing the site that she was browsing. At least that was not a total lie or who knew what kind of trouble she would be in.

“Company computers are only for work,” the Bebe stated. “I shall have to write you up and give you a demerit.”

“Understood,” Kim sighed and frowned. It would seem that that “eventually” was not now.

“Carry on working,” the Bebe said and then marched away.

“Girl, I told you to just forget about the Knight Sabers and your little adventure last night,” Monique called from one cubicle over.

“I can’t.” Kim blew out a breath. “There’s just no way they could’ve covered that whole thing up. I mean, the thing leveled an entire restaurant! How can they just cover that up?” Kim’s face scrunched up as she shook her head.

“Obviously, they did. It really wouldn’t do well for the whole population of Go City to know exactly what insane Bebes do, anyway, would it?” Monique countered, as if giving a reason for the cover up would deter Kim from trying to find out the truth. Of course, she knew it would not matter.

Monique was very aware the battle lost already. After all, once Kim got an idea in her head, then that was that. Kim was going to find out the truth. She could only try get the redhead to chill about it while at work because she really did not want her friend to get fired. Kim needed this job if she wanted to stay in Go City.

“It isn’t safe to keep something like this in the dark. People deserve to know how often these things go nuts just in case. They should also know about the Knight Sabers. I mean, these guys are saving lives. The GJ police got there so late that I’d be dead if it was left to them,” Kim replied.

Monique doubted that, but not because she had so much faith in the police. “I think you’re taking things too far. We both know it’s damn hard to kill you. I get why you’re so worked up, but you’re only one person, Kim. One person who works for the Gemini Corporation that’s gotten into enough trouble as it is. I think you should let this one go. I mean, it’s not like you can do much.”

Kim laughed and Monique could practically feel her friend smiling. She knew that confident, almost arrogant smile of Kim’s was on her mouth. _Shit_. Monique had definitely used the wrong words there and it was too late to try covering her ass with some other string of words.

“Mo, now you know, I can do anything,” Kim commented in a tone that suggested she was telling the stone-cold truth.

“Kim, just do the work. We need to go to college at some point in life and getting fired isn’t going to help that,” Monique pled. They had a plan, they were supposed to work and go to school in the same city, like good little best friends, and Kim was getting off-track, as Kim tended to do. This was the reason Kim showed up in Go City a year after they came up with this plan.

“I will.”

“I mean it. Besides, if you use work computers for personal stuff, they send alerts to the floor Bebe anyway, so she’ll know its you if you keep this up and you will get fired. So, please, just do the work.”

The silence was not a good sign and Monique was well aware of that. She sighed and felt like banging her head against the desk. _Kim just had to meet the damned Knight Sabers, didn’t she?!_ There would be no working with her now, Monique thought. Despite all of her pleading and melodramatics, there was a small, fond smile gracing Monique’s lips. _Same old Kim_.

-8-8-8-8-

Sneaking away had never really been a problem for Kim. She did it easily, even before getting tons of martial arts training, but the training did help. So, she was capable of getting away from her desk, even with an alert Bebe patrolling her work-area, even with an alert Bebe that seemed to have it out for her.

Kim slipped into Brick’s office when he was away. She knew he had gone to get some coffee from a vender in the lobby after asking around, pretending she needed his help. She was informed she would not get that anytime soon because Brick had a thing for trying to pick up the girl who sold coffee. Apparently, the coffee-seller had standards and rebuffed him all the time, but that only made him try twice as hard each time that he saw her. So, Kim had plenty of time to get in and do what she wanted to do.

Kim bolted into the boss’ chair and hopped onto his computer. She quickly went through the pages she did not have access to on her own computer. A frown cut across her features.

“Damn,” she hissed. There was seriously nothing about what happened with the crazed Bebe attacking the restaurant last night in any of the news articles. “How the hell could they cover that whole thing up like there where they say nothing about it at all?”

Kim wondered for a moment if the company had anything to do with the cover up. The Gemini Company made Bebes, after all. Their product would not sell if people were aware of how dangerous a malfunctioning Bebe could be. So, did the company pay off news channels to not report on the berserker Bebe incidents? Did they really have the money for that?

“I doubt it. They’d have to pay off every news station in the city every time this happened and I doubt that was some random event,” Kim muttered.

She was not really sure what to think. People had to already know there was some danger to Bebes. After all, there was an entire police force whose job it was to fight nothing but Bebes. Obviously, the city would not spend money on a police force that it did not need, by her thinking anyway. But, who was covering up all of the Bebe problems then? Why did the media not report on it? What was going on?

 _I have to be able to find something. Where to look?_ Kim patted her chin and then she smiled. A light bulb practically appeared over her head.

She decided to go check out things in the GJ main frame. She was sure that their database had to have something in it. She just needed to find it. _I hope I paid enough attention to know how to do this_.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara was at her terminal, which was a rounded off space instead of a cubicle like in most places. The area was set up like a lecture hall, giving dispatch a view of a large screen for serious emergencies. She had a sealed bag of potato chips hanging from her mouth while trying to get herself situated for her shift. Her attention was distracted from that task as she noticed a blinking red light on her console.

A smirked worked its way onto Tara’s lips. “Ho, ho, someone what’s to play?”

Tara quickly rid herself of all unnecessary items, which included her bag of chips for the moment. She pulled up to her desk and turned her full attention to her computer screen. She could not help chuckling and she cracked her knuckles.

“Someone’s getting a little nosy about the Knight Sabers, huh? Well, let’s see how nosy they’re willing to get,” she murmured, reaching into a drawer at her small desk. She pulled out small laserdisc and popped it into her CD drive. “I wish I could see the look on this guy’s face when he gets hit with this.”

-8-8-8-8-

Kim thought she might make some progress until the computer screen suddenly went black. She was not too sure what was going on and then it looked like a crimson liquid oozed down the screen and Kim groaned. She kind of figured out what happened before the thing even finished.

“No one who’s researched the Knight Sabers has lived to tell about it…” an ominous and spooky voice stated from the computer.

Kim frowned and tried to get around the virus now inflecting the computer. The screen would not go back to normal, though. She decided to not press her already obvious rotten luck. She sneaked out of the office and hoped someone thought Brick downloaded the virus, which did happen. His superior, who thought Brick had tried to get porn on his office computer again, reprimanded him.

“I’m not giving up,” Kim muttered as she eased back into her seat. Thankfully, for the first time, the floor Bebe did not seem to notice that she was gone… or so she thought. She was ready to smile in over the very small victory, but that was short-lived.

“Miss Possible, once again, you left your work station without authorization. You will receive another demerit,” the Bebe informed the redhead.

Kim groaned. _At this rate, I’ll be fired before the end of the month_. Unfortunately, she could not help herself.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Kim never one to give up, tries another angle at finding out about Knight Sabers, seeking out Shego.


	4. “Breathe into Me”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this premise. The characters belong to Disney and the concept comes from the anime “Bubblegum Crisis 2040.”
> 
> I also don’t own the song that Shego sings in the chapter. That belongs to the group Red. The song is called “Breathe into Me.”

 

4: “Breathe into Me” 

Curious blue eyes observed as a shy-looking brunette moved around the racks of clothing that lined the dimly lit main floor of the Silk Android, a lingerie store. The brunette tried her best not to linger at any one station of items. The watching blue eyes seemed to shine in amusement. _It’s time to move before she bolts_.

Blond hair cut through the store in a manner similar to a great white shark going through water, straight toward an injured seal. The smile only increased the affect as the blond come up behind the shaken brunette. The only thing missing was the “Jaws” theme.

“May I help you?” the smooth, cheerful voice of the blond inquired.

The brunette nearly leaped out of her skin, obviously oblivious she was being stalked until just now. She turned around with a panicked, wide-eyed expression, looking like a deer in headlights. The blond appeared to be absolutely delighted, smiling bright enough to put the sun out of business. She had her hands pressed in front of her, giving a rather nice look at her stylish pink sundress.

“May I help you?” the blond asked again, eyes sparkling like two blue diamonds. She looked like she was quite ready to burst out laughing.

“Umm…” The brunette woman fidgeted a bit and looked away. A blush burned her cheeks. 

The blond smiled, looking a little less predatory now. “You shouldn’t be so timid about things. You have a lovely figure and you should be quite content to show it off.” She casually ran two fingers down the customer’s arm.

The woman flinched a bit, but the blond continued to smile, as if she was oblivious to the customer’s discomfort. The blond turned away from the customer and grabbed a nightgown from the rack in front of them. She held it up against the brunette’s body and smiled.

“I think this would look quite glamorous on you. It compliments your figure and the color goes well with your complexion,” the blond commented with the same nonchalance of someone discussing a bus schedule.

“Uh…” The brunette seemed to be speechless. She just was not sure what to make of the woman before her. It did not help that she was already nervous to be in such a store.

“We have fitting rooms right that way. You should go see how it fits on you. I’m sure it would look divine on you,” the blond practically cooed, pushing the piece of clothing into the customer’s arms.

The brunette wordlessly took the clothing and walked off in the direction of the fitting rooms, almost as if she was on shock. The blonde watched her walk off with a small smile painting her lips. She folded her arms across her stomach and appeared to be quite proud of herself, even though it was clear that brunette was just a bit scared of her.

“You know, identifying yourself as the owner of the shop might help take the edge off of things,” a somewhat deep and husky, but distinctly female voice commented from the front of the store.

The blond twirled around, hiding her surprise to see Shego walking into the room. The gruff female had entered in her usual quiet manner. Sometimes, it was easy to think she must have been a ninja in a past life — hell, maybe even this life — considering how easily she got in and out of places without making any noise. The blond supposed it was a good thing some time, but other times it only added to Shego’s ability to annoy people.

“What makes you think I want to take the edge off?” the blond remarked, still smiling. She was too amused by all of this.

“Vivian, you’re a lot more evil than you look,” Shego stated, quite serious about that.

The blonde, Vivian Porter and owner of the Silk Android, smiled so innocently that she could have passed for an angel. Shego rolled her eyes to that lie of an expression. There was something much more to Vivian than what she showed on the surface with that airhead smile and doll-like sundress. Vivian was dangerous and something more that Shego really did not care much about. Everyone had their secrets, after all.

“You really need to shop here more often, Shego. I mean, I understand you’re a rocker, biker chick and everything, but these outfits don’t do you justice,” Vivian commented, motioning to Shego’s now still form.

Shego had on her biker leathers, her typical deep, lime green and onyx. She held a black helmet in her hands. Her river of ebony hair hung freely behind her as always. All of the dark colors surrounding her contrasted the nearly white skin of her face.

“When I need fashion tips, I’ll bear that in mind,” Shego replied smoothly in a slightly low voice.

“You should do something about your hair, too. It’s quite pretty. I know an excellent stylist.” Vivian strolled over to the biker.

Shego frowned, just for the hell of it, but it turned out to be the right expression. Vivian reached out and ran her fingers through Shego’s hair as if it was something on schedule for just that moment. Shego did not react from the movement, even though she did not see it coming. Vivian smiled a bit again.

“You have serious space issues,” Shego stated the obvious.

“You really should just let me give you a makeover,” Vivian said. 

“Yeah, and then we could have a slumber party and talk about boys, right?” Shego quipped with a sharp glint in her eyes. 

Vivian chuckled a bit. “You sure know how to hurt a girl.” She pretended to pout, but that did not last long.

“I try my best. Could you just pay me, so I could get out of here and you can go back to tormenting your customers?” Shego somewhat demanded. The frown remained on her face and she looked away.

“Oh, right. I owe you for the last couple, don’t I?” Vivian asked.

Shego only nodded. She looked around a bit while Vivian walked over to the register. The store looked the same as always: rows upon rows of luxurious pieces of lingerie and some outdoor clothing, but everything sexy as hell. She supposed that sometime in the past, she would have enjoyed shopping around, but now in the present, she was not very into the scene anymore. Most people thought she was not into much of anything anymore. If she were honest with herself, she really was not into much.

“Here you go,” Vivian said as she handed Shego several bills.

Shego was still quiet as she put the money in her pocket. She turned as if she was about to walk out, but she did not move. She then opened her mouth.

“She’s slow, you know. Always a step behind,” Shego commented and Vivian knew just who she meant.

“You need a partner who can keep up with you,” Vivian said as if she knew just that.

Shego nodded. “Never said I didn’t. It’d just be better if she wasn’t slow or panicky. Let’s face it, Tara is useless beyond what she can do with a computer. She just gets in the way.”

“Okay. Do you have someone in mind for this other partner?” Vivian inquired, even though she suspected the answer to that one. After all, there had to be a reason Shego brought it up now of all times. Nothing was ever random with Shego either. Everything that she did had a point. It was just that sometimes getting to that point was like pulling teeth.

Shego shook her head. Vivian was about to call Shego on that lie, but then they were reminded they were not alone in the store. The brunette woman that Vivian had been “tormenting” popped out of the changing room, only sticking her head out of the curtain.

“I think this is just too much,” the woman said, her entire face burning a bright red. Vivian loved it.

“Nonsense! I’m sure it looks fine! Come on out and show us!” Vivian brightly beckoned the woman like a lighthouse guiding a ship to safety, which would not explain why the woman felt more like she was being pulled toward jagged rocks.

Vivian practically glided over to the woman and tugged her out of the changing room. She smiled brightly and clapped her hands, looking at her handiwork. She began to sing the woman’s praises, complimenting her figure and how the color complemented her. Vivian turned to Shego for confirmation, but the disgruntled biker was already out of the door by the time she was going to say something. Vivian shook her head. One day that woman would stop acting like the whole world was coming to an end at that very moment.

Vivian took care of her customer and sighed. She could not wait to close the shop. She really just wanted to go for a swim. Tension had wrapped around her body and swimming was one of the few things that relaxed her. Seeing Shego had an effect on her that always left her feeling as if she had been twisted into knots. It was not dealing with Shego that did that. It was just that Shego reminded Vivian of what she had done, which almost always deflated her mood. She had just learned how to hide it behind a very bright, shining smile.

Vivian all put pushed the customer out of the shop once her outfit was paid for. It took all of her willpower to not run up the stairs. Her pool was located in her home at the top of the building; her shop was house on the ground floor. The pool actually ran down the length of the whole building and looked like a giant fish tank when it finally reached down to the Silk Android. There were no fish, though.

Vivian sighed as she hit the cool water of her pool. It was like her body became one with the water and she existed beyond herself. Everything seemed to melt away, all the worries, stress, and guilt gone for at least a little while. 

She did several laps, but did not bother to keep count of them. She had always liked swimming, but recently she was very thankful for the hobby. It helped keep her sane and busy. Without that one thing, the one hobby, she hated to think what might happen to her. _Oh, who are you kidding? You know damn well what would happen to you_. To avoid thinking about it, though, she just kept swimming until she feared she would drown from exhaustion.

Vivian climbed out of the pool onto the tiled deck, silky yellow locks glistening and her lavender one-piece suit shined from the water. She grabbed her towel to dry off; it was resting against a lawn chair that she had waiting for her poolside. She ran the towel along her body while walking over to the bar on the other side of the room.

She quickly made herself a drink, believing it would help calm her down more so than the swim had. She sipped the alcoholic beverage the moment that she was done making it and felt like her muscles finally settled. She breathed a sigh of relief, even though she knew that it was only a temporary solution.

“At least it dulls the ache a little. That’s better than nothing,” she said to herself. Sorrow overtook her eyes and her throat tightened a little. This suggested the alcohol was not helping, no matter how much she tried to force herself to believe it was.

Vivian was about to make her way to the sofa, but she noticed a figure standing in the entrance of the room. It was the only other person who lived in the building, her valet; well, that title was the easiest way to explain him. He was a young man with jet black hair and matching eyes. His posture was perfect and he stood with all of the grace and dignity one could expect of royalty.

“Yes, Will?” Vivian asked.

“An email just arrived for you. I think you’ll want to take it,” Will replied. He did not check her email for her, but when certain important messages arrived, they had special tones that sounded loud enough to be heard outside of Vivian’s office.

Vivian nodded and walked out of the room into another, which was an office space. She had many of those. She sat down at her computer and put her drink down on the side. Based on who the email was from and the subject, yes, she did want to read it right away. Her face tensed as she read through the email.

“After doing a little digging for you today, I came across some interesting points I knew you’d want to see. Despite the fact that Bebes are employed all around in the city and there doesn’t seem to be a need for any more of them, production has been steadily increasing. The company is still pushing Bebes are safe, even though the incidents of them going berserk seem to be on the rise. They’re making sure the world believes Bebes are safe. It’s like something big’s coming up, but I don’t know what it is yet. I’ll keep looking when I get the time. Bye!” The email, though bearing bad news, had an almost chipper feel to it, especially thanks to the farewell.

Vivian’s teeth ground against each other, making a horrible gnashing sound that bounced off of the walls and seemed to pound in her ears. It was a good thing she was not holding her glass anymore or she would have crushed it in her hand as she made two frustrated fists. Her manicured nails tore into her palms with the same furiousness as a rusty nail. Her eyes blazed with fury and injustice.

“Bebes are safe? Who the hell are they kidding?” Vivian screamed at the top of her lungs. _Do they just want to see the fucking world burn?_

-8-8-8-8-

“You called for me?” a blue-skinned male in a dark blue jumpsuit inquired as he entered a dark office. He sounded annoyed, even though he tried to hide that. He just was not good at it. He hated being called to the boss’ office, especially when he was working. 

The air of the office was still and hot, like being trapped in a sauna. It was almost like the room was waiting to burst into flames. This place seemed like it was what Hell would be like from the suffocating heat and horrible, poor lighting. There were no windows and the shadows seemed to almost more, like they had a will of their own and could devour someone. The office actually pulsed with evil intent. But, none of that had anything to do with why the blue-skinned man hated being called there. 

“Drakken, why has the placement of Bebes slowed down?” a menacing voice demanded to know from up high. There was a throne like seat at the back of the room, on a platform that was over ten feet off of the ground. The menacing voice came from the chair, which faced away from the large desk in front of it. The person sitting in it could not be seen.

“Mostly because orders have slowed down,” Drakken replied, thinking that was quite obvious, even though an executive named Hank Perkins had to tell him that. He would have been pushing out Bebes just as often as ever before if Perkins had not said anything.

But, then again, Drakken wanted to keep making Bebes anyway. The more the merrier in his opinion and it had nothing to do with selling them. So, he did not have much of an interest if the Bebes were being placed or not.

“Why have the orders slowed down?” the voice demanded as the chair spun around to reveal a short, broad-shouldered, stocky man with an eye-patch. He held a small, shaking dog in a cold metallic hand.

“Look, Gemini, we’ve tapped Go City. Every place that needs Bebes has them,” Drakken pointed out. Hank Perkins, once again, told this, to him. The man certainly was on his game.

Gemini was silent for a moment, running his free hand through his short, brown hair. He then took another moment to pet his dog while a frown marred his face. If anyone else told him these things, he would have blown his top by now. But, Drakken was an annoying necessity that he would have bear for a while.

“This is why we’ve branching out to sell them globally and why we’ve started the new space project things will be even better. We need more Bebes out there,” Gemini stated. 

Drakken nodded as he was in complete agreement with that. Gemini dismissed the scientist, after that, not looking to suffer his presence anymore. Drakken was all too happy to go. Yes, there certainly was a need for more Bebes in the world, they both believed.

-8-8-8-8- 

Shego gripped the microphone in her right hand while flexing her back to crack her shoulders. She listened carefully for her cue, coming in at just the right time. The guitar and bass players, twin redheads watched her while making sure to do their part. The twins eyed Shego as she started.

“And this is how it feels when I ignored the words you spoke to me/ and this is where I lose myself when I keep running away from you/ and this is who I am when, when I don’t know myself anymore/ and this is what I choose when it’s all left up to me,” Shego sang, moving roughly with the music.

The instruments were played loud, shaking the walls of even the sound proof room. The band never noticed, though. It was great for when they got studio time, but horrible any other time when they were practicing out in the open. They had a habit of getting kicked out of some place or someone always called the police. 

“…And this is how I feel when I’m standing on edge/ and this is how I break apart when I finally hit the ground/ and this is how it hurts when I pretend I don’t feel any pain/ and this is how I feel when I throw myself away…” Shego continued to sing, eyes closed now and movement just as wild before. It never occurred to her that she might hit one of the twins. “Breathe your life into me…”

The practice was being shown on a monitor just outside the soundproof room, but that room was supposed to be empty. Shego was quite surprised as she opened the door to go into the other room to see someone standing out there, waiting for her. But, she knew that fiery redhead… in a way anyway.

“Oh, who’s this, a fan?” the purple-skinned drummer cooed as he came up behind Shego. He draped himself on her shoulders. “I bet she’s here to see me,” he declared with confident tilt of his chin.

“What do you want?” Shego asked, speaking to Kim and ignoring the idiot on her back.

“You know why I’m here,” Kim replied with her hands folded across her chest and a hard look in her olive eyes.

“You want an autograph?” Shego inquired with a taunting smirk.

“Aw, man, sis! You always attract these plain, school-girl types! If you attracted more dudes, we’d be more popular!” the drummer complained, moving off of Shego. He marched off to the side of the room to grab a bottle of water.

“You mean, you’d have more a chance getting a date, right, Mego?” one of the twins remarked as they walked out of the room. 

“Shut up! I don’t swing that way!” Mego barked, glaring at the younger pair as he opened his water.

“You keep telling yourself that.” Both twins rolled their eyes and then they looked at Kim. They grinned and were about to step over to her until Shego cut them a hot glare, which backed them up immediately. Mego would love to learn how she managed to do that.

“Well, we should get home and get some sleep!” the twins both proclaimed and dragged a protesting Mego out of the building.

“How’d you know to find me here?” Shego asked, making sure to sound as annoyed as she was. Who the hell was giving up her location to total strangers, after all? _I guess I need to kick someone’s ass_.

“The manager at the Bermuda Triangle said you practice here,” Kim answered.

Shego nodded; that one was not surprising. _That fat bastard probably sold me out for a chocolate bar_. It did not help matters that the guy was an information broker when he was not managing the nightclub.

“Yeah, so what do you want?” Shego demanded again, regarding the redhead with a bored gaze.

“You know what I want,” Kim replied.

“If this is about your little boo-boo, it’ll heal with time. If you’re still hounding me about your lunch, you’re a persistent little thing, I’ll give you that,” Shego remarked with a smart-ass smirk on her face.

“Quit acting all tough and just tell me what I want to know,” Kim commanded.

“What? What times we play the Triangle?” Shego smirked even more. “Almost three times a week. You should’ve asked Brotherson for a schedule.” She was a bit impressed that the little redhead did not back down, did not appear apprehensive about being in a small space with no witness, and obviously was not intimidated by the big scary biker.

Kim scowled. “You like messing with me, don’t you?” 

Shego shrugged. “It does seem like it could become an enjoyable pastime, but I’ve got other shit to do right now.” She marched off passed Kim, out of the door that was not too far away.

“Hey!” the redhead snarled, turning around to follow the cocky biker. “I’m going to become a Knight Saber!” 

“That’s nice, little girl. It’s a step up from wanting to be a Barbie, but just as unrealistic,” Shego quipped as she made it to her motorcycle. “You really should stop believing your bedtime stories are true.” She mounted her ride. 

Kim growled. She would not let this biker bitch get the better of her. Shego chuckled a bit before taking off. She was surprised when Kim pulled up next to her on a little motorized scooter.

“Isn’t it past your bedtime?” Shego said, her voice muffled by the helmet.

“I won’t give up!” Kim proclaimed.

“If that’s the case, let’s see you keep up.” Shego revved her engine and then she took off, leaving Kim behind in the dust.

Kim sighed and growled with determination in her eyes. She pushed her scooter faster, leaning forward as if that would make the thing increase speed. It was a good thing she had on a helmet. There was a good chance she might fell off of the scooter because of how far she leaned forward, but she was determined to catch Shego. Out of the blue, she started to hear the scooter making grinding noises.

“No, no, no!” Kim complained as her ride back to slow down. “Come on! I spent my whole paycheck on this damn thing! Don’t die yet!” she begged, which seemed to work because the scooter did not die. “Yes! Let’s go!”

While Shego was little more than a dot on the horizon, Kim moved to catch up. It took a lot of cuts and sharp turns, but she kept Shego in her sights. Kim followed Shego to the end of her ride, watching the biker going into what appeared to be a closed store. She followed to the glass doors and peered inside.

Shego went over to Vivian, who greeted her with a smile. Shego waved her off and they exchanged words, but Kim could not hear. Shego and Vivian disappeared into a back room.

Kim tried the front door only to find it locked. She was not deterred and made her way in through other, much less legal means, finding a vent on the side of the building and crawling in through it. Once inside of the store, she quietly rushed across the darkened room to the back door Shego had gone through. _This is a bad idea_.

Kim ignored the voice in her head and tried the door. At first, she found it locked, too, and was prepared to get around it just as she had the front door, but that was unnecessary as the automatic door opened on its own. _Okay, a very bad idea. Usually, when that happens, you’re walking into a trap_. Still, Kim ignored the voice. She just doubted Shego was leading her into a trap.

So, Kim wasted no time entering the room and found out it was an elevator. The door zipped closed and she could feel the thing moving, but she was not sure what direction she was going in. Wherever it was going, it got there quickly and the door whooshed open. Kim stepped out and was surprised to see three people in a rather plain room with warm walls.

“Hey, what’s she doing in the Pit?” Tara demanded with wide eyes and a slack jaw. She pointed at Kim like the redhead was some kind of frightening bug.

Vivian looked at Shego, who shrugged nonchalantly. “What can I say? She followed me home,” the emerald-eyed woman remarked with her typical smart-ass smile.

Vivian sighed and shook her head. She supposed it would kill Shego to just be honest and admit she allowed the redhead to follow her. Vivian did not bother with that detail, though, and focused on the fact that Shego never did anything without reason. There was a purpose for Shego bringing a guest and Vivian could guess just what that was considering what Shego said the last that they spoke. 

Vivian approached Kim, eyeing her up and down quite shamelessly. Kim almost cringed when from the close inspection, which it was about to get even closer. Vivian reached out and put a hand to Kim’s cheek, practically caressing her.

“Uh… lady, I’ve had less intrusive examinations from my GYN,” Kim commented, backing away a little bit.

“I can see why Shego would let you just follow her home. You look like you’ll do fine. You have such a cute, girlish face,” Vivian remarked, laughing a little as she spoke. It was clear to everyone in the room she did not think there was anything wrong or weird about her words.

“And what the hell does that have to do with anything?” Shego huffed from a few feet away. _Why the hell does Vivian always have to add something irrelevant to everything? She always has to make everything all creepy._

Vivian chuckled. “Well, I suppose we should give her a test run.” She clasped her hands together.

“A test run?” Kim echoed with her eyebrows curled upward and her forehead wrinkling slightly.

“Yes. Follow me,” Vivian said, still smiling. She seemed to be the happiest with Kim’s arrival, but no one said anything about that.

Kim glanced over at Shego, who just rolled her eyes and walked off with Vivian. Kim followed them. Tara was the last one. Both Kim and Tara wondered what the hell was going on, but the other two females were not offering any explanations. The group ended up at the control center at the back of the room.

“Here, sit here and put this on,” Vivian instructed Kim, holding up what appeared to be a helmet for virtual reality. She patted a small, cushioned chair for Kim to sit on. 

Kim obeyed and sat down. Vivian fitted the helmet on Kim’s head and then attacked thick, long gloves to Kim’s hands, which had wires coming out of them. She also put leggings on Kim that were similar to the gloves.

“Now, make sure you relax,” Vivian told the redhead.

“Relax?” Kim echoed as if she did not know what the word meant. “It’s a little hard to relax when I don’t know what’s going on.”

“And, yet, you can to us. Now, just relax,” Vivian repeated.

Shego and Tara turned their attention to the large monitors that covered the space in a semicircle. Vivian took care of starting everything up, retreating behind a control console and pecking away at the keyboard. Tara knew what was going on now, but she wondered why Vivian was bothering with it. She did not get a chance to ask as images came up on screen. The green and black Knight Saber was on the monitor.

Kim saw something similar to them, looking down at her own hands in the VR. She saw the hands of the green and black Knight Saber suit. _Is this some kind of training exercise?_ She did not have time to figure that out as a berserk Bebe came out of nowhere, punching her and sending her flying back. She only stopped when hitting the parked car of a GJ police squadron.

“I bet she’s seeing stars from that one,” Shego muttered under her breath while Vivian gave her a look.

Kim grunted as pain shot through her back, causing her ribs to throb. _That actually hurt_ , she realized. It serious felt like she had been punched in the gut and impacted a car.

 _Okay_ , Kim thought. They wanted to be serious about this then she could be serious. She took off after the crazed Bebe, leaping into the air and coming down with a powerful kick. She landed perfectly and did not stop, attacking with rapid punches and several well placed kicks. The Bebe did not seem to have an answer for her at first, overwhelmed by her, but used its hyper speed to get out of the line of fire eventually.

“Where’d it go? Where’d it go?” Kim scanned the area. The last thing she needed was another surprise hit from a Bebe. Her ribs were still sore from the restaurant.

The others watched the monitor as the Bebe showed up behind the suit. It looked like the Bebe had the upper hand until the suit swung around into a roundhouse kick. The move was impressive, cracking the Bebe in the head. The Bebe stumbled back.

“She does know that in order to win this she has to destroy the brain, right?” Vivian asked Shego.

The biker shrugged nonchalantly. “Fuck if I know,” was the response.

Vivian sighed; _that was just like Shego_. She reasoned Kim either knew what she needed to do or was smart enough to figure it out. There had to be a reason Shego had enough faith in the redhead to lead Kim there and share their secret. Or so Vivian hoped anyway. _There’s usually a method to her madness_.

Vivian’s faith did not know whether to remain or abandon her as she continued to watch the fight. Kim had excellent moves and seemed to almost sense where the Bebe would show up when it used hyper speed to escape her. Unfortunately, the Bebe also landed blows, knocking Kim around quite a bit. Kim hissed in pain, but she never gave up.

Eventually, Kim seemed to figure out how to defeat the Bebe. The knuckle bombs of the green suit whirled and Kim let out a battle cry as she unleahed a mighty punch to the Bebe’s head. The bombs on the knuckles of the suit exploded on impact and the Bebe’s head followed suit. Much to Kim’s surprise, she was splattered with machine bits and some organic material from what she could tell. A black liquid gushed onto the visor and seemed almost like blood. The organic material actually reminded her of brain matter.

The program ended and Kim dropped to her knees, breathing hard. Her muscles twitched and her nerves jumped as sweat dripped from her face. Her clothing was soaked with sweat. That was easily the most work she had ever put into anything. 

“Intense…” Kim whispered while looking down at her hands.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Find out if Kim made the cut and finally achieved her dream. More from Drakken and Gemini, too.


	5. “Cowboy”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this concept. Disney owns these characters and the concept comes from the anime “Bubblegum Crisis 2040.”
> 
> The chapter title is a song by Eve.

 

5: “Cowboy”

The hot sun beat down incessantly on a lone figure in a blue jumpsuit. She had her back to the street while searching through some of her tools. She did not turn as a motorcycle approached and stopped right in front of the empty, desolate garage. The rider, clad in the usual black and green, dismounted the bike. 

“Bets,” Shego called as she took off her helmet.

The figure in the jumpsuit turned at the sound of her name, well part of her name, and the familiar voice calling it. The brunette woman stood up to her proper height and turned her attention to her visitor. She locked her one onyx eye onto the biker and she shook her head while Shego remained standing near her bike.

“It’s been acting up lately,” Shego said, rubbing the seat of her bike in the same manner that an equestrian would caress her stead.

“Knowing you, you’re driving this shit too fast,” Betty remarked with a bland expression on her face.

“There’s a ‘too fast’ now? Shit, I better add that to my speedometer,” the pale woman quipped, rolling her eyes.

Betty did not pay attention to the smart-ass in her presence. She looked down at the motorcycle and then bent down to its level. She inspected it and revved the engine loudly.

“She wants another one,” Shego said, sounding casual. Her voice did not go over the noise coming from the engine.

“Another one?” Betty echoed, sounding more uninterested than anything else. She was a bit confused, though.

“Yeah, another one,” Shego said with a huff. “I don’t remember you being deaf.”

Betty rolled her eye and decided against saying anything more. The conversation was supposed to be brief anyway. She would get her answers later. For now, she focused on the bike and searched for the problem. She revved the engine again and things sounded much better for the ailing motorcycle.

Shego watched Betty’s hands move flawlessly over her bike. The emerald gaze was locked on those worn, but strong hands before the hands pulled away from the motorcycle. Betty stood up, rolling her broad shoulders for a moment. Shego looked at Betty for a little longer before mounting her bike and riding off.

Betty turned back to her home and workplace. She searched for necessary items that for her next job. _Why does she need another one?_ Shaking her head, she thought about the obvious answer to that question. _I need a drink_. First, she found the parts, though.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian stood in the back of the Silk Android, staring into the water of the back wall. Her reflection looked back at her, staring at one of her favorite powder blue pantsuits. She almost smiled, feeling better about herself than she usually did. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw another presence. She turned to her right just a bit and was surprised to see Betty standing before her. Vivian smiled and her eyes seemed to shine for the first time in a long time.

“So, I hear you need another suit,” Betty said, sounding bored. She held a rather large tool kit that most people would have thought was too heavy for any woman to carry.

Vivian nodded. “Indeed.” Her smile did not falter, even though the brunette did not seem thrilled to be there.

“I’ve brought everything we need to make a new one then,” the mechanic reported, holding up her kit.

Vivian nodded once more. “How about you go down to the Pit and wait for a while? I have something I need to take care of.”

Betty’s head barely moved as she nodded. She made sure she had a good grip on her kit, which was about the size of a large suitcase. She went about her business, taking the elevator down into the Pit, the preparation room and workshop. She put down her bag and set up the monitors. It did not take too long for Vivian to show up.

Vivian came down and got off the elevator in a form fitting, short pink dress. Betty arched an eyebrow, but she did not say anything. Vivian came over and went right to the monitor.

“So, you have everything prepared?” Vivian asked.

“As usual,” Betty replied as she opened her case and began taking parts out of it. She fitted the pieces onto a three-foot metal stand that had three metal ribs coming out of the center.

“You took the core out?” the shop owner asked.

“Of course I did. You know how I work,” Betty replied blandly, as if she was tired of hearing such questions.

Vivian smiled. “Yes, I’m sorry. I always need to be sure. I want things to be perfect for the new girl. This is what she looks like.”

Betty went over to the monitor to see whom she was about to make a suit for. She did not look impressed when lying eyes on Kim. She turned and set her gaze upon Vivian.

“You’re sending out the girl-next-door to fight berserker Bebes?” Betty asked incredulously. She did not think the new girl looked like she needed to be out fighting a breeze, let alone crazed robots bent on destroying everything in their paths.

Vivian chuckled. “It’s not like you to allow looks to deceive you. She’s good. I’ll show you the data and you can get an idea of what you want to do with the suit.”

Betty nodded. “I wanted to try some new things anyway.” She watched the monitor as Vivian showed her the simulation.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim could not shake the images out of her head from the simulation. She stared down at her hands, thinking of what they had done, how they had destroyed that Bebe, even if it was only an illusion. It was gruesome. She could practically feel the organic matter on her. It was like being covered in someone’s guts. Could she really do something like that?

“I didn’t think it would be that way. Could I do that with every Bebe I faced? Blow its head up to destroy the core and stop it? Could I?” Kim muttered, shaking her head. She was really not very sure. It felt like killing someone.

 _But, Bebes aren’t alive_. They were made to simulate being people, but they were just machines. Still, could she go out there and destroy them, destroy something almost human?

Usually, she lived by the motto that she could do anything, but what she had done in that simulation seemed so intense. It was beyond the usual fighting she did back in Middleton. She used to fight normal crimes back home, like robberies, assaults, and things like that. More often than not, she really just did little things to help people. Well, they were little things to her. Destroying a Bebe did not seem so little; it was nothing like saving a cat out of a tree certainly.

“Hey, Kim, you okay?” Monique asked, poking her head over her own cubicle to stare at her friend.

Kim had been acting strange all morning and Monique was a little worried about her. She had been unusually quiet and seemed distracted. Monique doubted Kim had gotten any work done yet, especially since she had not heard the clicking of Kim’s keyboard all morning.

“Huh?” Kim asked, finally turning away from her hands to focus on her friend. She leaned on her empty desk. She had not gotten around to putting any personal items on it.

“You’ve been looking at your hands for like five minutes. You okay?” Monique repeated.

“Yeah, I’m fine!” Kim lied, making sure not to go beyond that or else she would get herself into trouble. She was not a great liar. Hell, she was not even a pretty good liar.

Monique narrowed her chocolate eyes, studying Kim. “You sure?”

“Yeah!” Kim swallowed hard, trying to keep down her nervousness. Still, her stomach flipped and part of her dared to wonder if she might throw up.

“Well, then you should get to work before the floor Bebe comes around and rides your ass again,” Monique pointed out.

Kim nodded vigorously and turned her attention to her computer. She really did not need to see any Bebe right now. She was not too sure what she was going to do about her problem, though.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara yawned and stretched at her desk. _Why the hell was work so boring?_ And then the answer to her boredom walked down the stairs into the operating center.

“Stevie-poo!” Tara grinned and clapped as the large man stood before her. She was just happy to have a person to interact with face to face for a little while. Sure, there were other operators around, but they tended to be interested in their jobs or other distractions. Besides, they were not as fun to annoy as Steve.

“I told you not to call me that!” Barkin roared at her.

“But, it’s such a cute name!” Tara cooed. She made wide eyes at him and batted her eye at him, as if that would sell the nickname more. Of course, it only upset him.

Barkin frowned, but controlled himself. He reminded himself it would not do him any good to blow up at her. He took a deep breath and fixed his face before saying anything else to her.

“Do you have any footage on the Knight Sabers?” he asked.

Tara’s eyes went wide for real this time. “Why would you want any of that?”

“Just to see stuff about them. They’re not with us, after all. We need to figure out how they operate and how to stop them just in case they go off the rails. So, do you have anything in the archives about them?”

Tara touched her chin with her index finger while looking up at the ceiling for a couple of seconds. “I don’t know if we do. The stuff always comes through all static-y and distorted before it just shuts off.”

“You haven’t checked?” He drew back a little and made it sound like she was stupid for not doing so.

Tara made a mocking movement with her hand. “I’ve stopped checking because there’s always interference with the signal. Look, I’ll show you.”

Tara turned her attention to her computer and drummed up a familiar scene for Barkin. The GJ police had constructed a roadblock for a tough Bebe and were prepared to open fire on it, but the green and black Knight Saber suit showed up before the GJ force could waste any more ammunition on the thing. The picture then broke up and static covered the screen before it went totally black.

“See? That always happens,” Tara said, motioning to the messed up picture. She blew out an annoyed breath.

“Damn it.” Barkin sucked his teeth. “Are you sure all of it’s like this?” 

“Pretty sure. If I come across something that’s not, I’ll let you know, okay?” she proposed.

Barkin nodded. “Sounds good.” He turned and started walking away.

“Bye, Stevie-poo!” Tara called, making sure to wave and everything.

Barkin did not turn around and seemed to increase his speed to get out of there. She chuckled a bit and turned her attention back her to her computer. She hit a few keys and the picture cleared to show the red and pink Knight Saber standing on the roof. “That is one good looking Knight Saber,” she remarked before clearing the picture from her screen.

Tara figured since she was at her computer and bored out of her mind, she might go check in on a few things. She was curious about what was going on with Gemini Corporation. Besides, she figured that Vivian would bug her to go check on things sooner or later anyway.

“Might as well do a sweep while I have the time,” Tara said to herself.

-8-8-8-8-

Drakken went into see Gemini once again. The office was dark and brooding as always. A scowl tugged at Drakken’s tight lips and his beady onyx eyes narrowed as he focused on the “throne” at the back of the room. Gemini did not look at him, which only bothered Drakken more.

Drakken was ready to mumble to himself about the lack of respect, but he did not have the chance. Just because Gemini was not facing him did not mean that the one-eyed man did not know he was there.

“What do you want, Drakken?” Gemini inquired in a hard tone. He hated when minions showed up without being beckoned. Yes, he saw his chief scientist and head of the Bebe production as a mere minion.

“I want to know what you plan on doing about the Knight Sabers. Sooner or later someone’s going to talk about them and what they’re doing. People are bound to find out Bebes not only malfunction operationally, but can mutate physically, too,” Drakken pointed out. The last thing he wanted was for Bebe production to cease altogether, so he wanted to know what the “boss” planned to do about their current problems.

“The problem is under control. I’ve worked it out with the media for them to not report on the Knight Sabers and I’ve been told by a reliable source that it’s very rare for more than a few seconds of the Knight Sabers in action to ever be recorded. We don’t have to worry about ghosts fighting an imaginary threat, anyway. No one really believes that Bebes go berserk.”

“You’ve covered that up well enough,” Drakken muttered. He would give that one thing to the man, even though he liked to think that he had the chance, he would be able to do an even better job. 

“I have to protect my product interest,” Gemini remarked.

“And what about the GJ police force then? Their job is to fight berserker Bebes,” the chief scientist pointed out. 

Gemini chuckled. “That’s nothing. They were originally founded as a task force against violent crimes and then changed when Betty Director took over for her short stint as chief. They might have had a chance if she stayed there, but when she resigned, the whole thing fell apart. All that’s left that showed she was going to make progress were those bulky K-suits that the force barely uses,” he said, laughing some more. Just thought of those GJ apes bounding around like the morons they were tickled him.

“They do use a lot of guns and other weapons,” Drakken mumbled. He put that in the back of his mind; the GJ police force was full of pushovers and idiots that had no clue how to fight with Bebes.

“They’ll mess themselves up at some point. Big idiots with big guns always do. Once they ruin things for themselves, I won’t have to worry about them either. They’re already on their way out considering the fact that they, like the Knight Sabers, are fighting a phantom menace. At least the Knight Sabers aren’t out in the open like those idiot GJ officers,” Gemini quipped with another hearty laugh. 

“So, everything’s fine to keep making Bebes?” Drakken inquired just to be sure.

“Stop worrying so much, Drakken. Just keep on doing your job.” 

Drakken nodded and decided to leave. He just wanted to know about the Knight Sabers and the GJ police force. The latter he was not going to worry about after listening to Gemini, but the former might be trouble. He supposed he would have to wait and see what happened, even though he hated waiting.

Gemini leaned back into his chair and rubbed his chin, stroking his goatee. “The Knight Sabers…” He shook his head. “GJ…” He scoffed.

Most of the time, the two organizations were far from his mind, like insects to him. After all, his corporation grew everyday and he was certain that he could swallow them whole if necessary, but one name caused him to think about them. Betty Director. 

“GJ was your dream, little sister. What would make you leave that behind, even after you were forced to change the purpose of it? You even designed those horrible K-suits to help out before you left… and then the Knight Sabers showed up. You’re the only person I know capable of designing suits like that, but even these are beyond you. Your best work were those ridiculous K-suits, weren’t they? Or did you hide something else from me like you did with so many other things?” Gemini stared down at his mechanical hand.

Betty Director, his younger, twin sister. The last he heard about her was about five or six years ago. He was not sure how many exactly, but felt like she fell off the face of the Earth now. Was she hiding something? Or was she just sulking like he hoped she was? It did not matter. He had come out on top and he would stay there.

“You can’t beat me, Betty. Never.” There was a reason he had everything, after all.

-8-8-8-8- 

Tara grinned as she practically bounced out of the GJ Headquarters. She was ready to go home and relax, but found out that was not likely when she saw someone outside waiting for her. Kim was right outside of the building.

“Hey, what’s up?” Tara asked as she noticed the serious expression on the redhead.

“I was hoping we could talk for a bit. I need to head over to Vivian’s for something,” Kim replied.

“Okay. I have to go over there, too,” Tara replied. She actually was planning to go over there a little later, but she would rather go with company. Kim seemed nice enough, so maybe she could make a new friend.

“Tara, do you think you could tell me about fighting Bebes on the way?” Kim asked as they started walking.

“Fighting Bebes? Well, I save most of the fighting to Shego. She hates it when I get in her way,” Tara laughed a little, as if that was a joke. It was entirely true, though. 

“You’re not much of a fighter?” Kim inquired. 

“Hey, don’t get me wrong, I can do something, but just not the same thing as Shego. Shego is just… different. You shouldn’t try to be like her either when you start out. She’s special,” Tara replied.

Kim’s face scrunched up from bewilderment. “Special?” It took all of her willpower not to scoff. How the hell was Shego “special”? Beyond having the talent of being an ass anyway. 

Tara did not bother explaining herself and Kim did not ask any further questions on the matter. Really, Kim was more concerned about other things than how Shego was “special.” Her mind was stuck on Bebes and what they had to do to stop them. Would she be able to do that if she became a Knight Saber?

“Tara, how was your first time out?” Kim asked as they continued on down the street. 

Tara laughed a bit, as if she was tickled just by thinking about it. “I was great, of course!” she declared and then she noticed the redhead’s deadpan expression. She sighed. “Fine, I screwed up a bit. I got better as time went by. What’s the matter, you don’t think you do this?”

“I just didn’t know it was so… demanding,” Kim said, glancing off to the side. Doubt swirled in those olive eyes.

“If you don’t think you can do it, you really need to get out now. Shego’s not really going to tolerate you screwing up and I know Vivian seems nice and everything, but when she gets mad, it’s not a pretty sight. We don’t need someone with doubt on the team, anyway. I mean, this junk is dangerous and the batteries on our suits don’t last long enough for you to hesitate. We could get killed if you hesitate for even a second. So, just leave now if this isn’t for you.”

Kim nodded. That all made perfect sense. This was not some game. Would she hesitate? She doubted it. When in the moment, she felt like she always made the best decisions. This time, though, she had a long chance to think about it, reflect on it.

“Don’t worry about me. I can do anything,” Kim proclaimed. Her words did not betray the slight discomfort buried in her soul, centered on the carnage that went into stopping something that looked so human, that could act almost human, that even bled when hit with enough force. Would she be so confident to do it in real life? Would her hand be steady then? Only time would tell, she thought. 

Tara laughed and smiled brightly, seeming to take Kim at her word. They continued on their stroll to the Silk Android, bringing up other, more normal topics of conversation. Kim discussed just moving to the city while Tara told her about growing up in the city. When they got to the shop, they saw it was empty, so they assumed Vivian was down in the Pit.

They got on the elevator, going down to the Pit level. They looked around the well-lit, peach-colored basement area. Tara spied a familiar article of clothing resting on one of the benches. 

“Hey, Betty must be here!” Tara chirped when her eyes caught sight of the cobalt jacket thrown haphazardly on the bench.

“Betty?” Kim echoed as her eyebrows curled in and caused a little wrinkle in her forehead. 

As if she could hear her name being called, the brunette woman appeared, getting off the elevator at the other end of the room. Behind her was Vivian, who was smiling slightly and tugging at the sleeve of her dress. Vivian appeared a little flushed, but it could have easily been from laughing. Betty went to retrieve her jacket without saying anything or really looking up. Vivian ran a hand through her hair as she turned to the teens.

“Betty, this is the new girl I was telling you about,” Vivian said, which got the one-eyed woman’s attention. 

Betty lifted her head and turned to regard Kim. She took in the fact that Kim did not seem shocked to see her eye-patched face, which was rarely the case with people when she first met them. Between that and the footage she saw of the girl, maybe Kim would fit in around the team, she thought.

“Hi, I’m Kim Possible,” the redhead introduced herself with a charming smile. She put her hand out.

“Betty Director,” the mechanic replied and reached out to shake Kim’s hand. A firm grip and a steady hand, she noted. _Not a bad pick at all_. 

“I look forward to working with you,” Kim said quite politely. 

“Don’t get too used to it. I’m just around for maintenance and repairs… and even then, I’m not too necessary with Vivian around,” Betty said, brushing off her part in things altogether. She did not stick around for much conversation, having other things to do with her time.

“I’ll call you if we need anything else that requires your maintenance,” Vivian remarked with a bright smile as Betty packed up. Betty grunted in response and Vivian laughed.

Tara’s face scrunched up as she watched Betty leave and she took in Vivian’s expression. There was something in Vivian’s eyes. But, it could have easily been a trick of the light. Tara shook it off; it was probably nothing. Vivian did not leave much time for Tara to think about anything too hard, anyway.

“Kim, I’m so glad you came! We finished your suit! It’s super sexy, just right for a girl with a figure like yours,” Vivian remarked, her face still bright and her smile was huge. She placed a hand on the small of Kim’s back.

Kim’s cheeks were stained pink from those words. Vivian took Kim by the arm and led her off into the other room. Tara followed behind while laughing a bit because of Kim’s reaction to Vivian’s remark. Tara’s laughing stopped when she saw Kim’s suit.

“Hey! This is way better than ours!” Tara complained as she laid eyes on the white and blue armor. She dashed over to it and inspected it. “It’s much sleeker, too! Is this your doing, Vivian?” she demanded, eyes actually blazing when she turned to the older blond.

“Not mine. Betty had some new ideas she wanted to try out for this suit. I guess that’s just what happens when you get the latest model of anything,” Vivian quipped.

“Umm…” Kim’s eyes were practically locked in a starry gaze she stared at her suit.

“You want to try it on, don’t you?” Vivian asked, knowing that expression all too well.

Kim could only nod. The blondes laughed a bit. Vivian pointed off to a door not to far from them.

“You have to change into the bodysuit first. This way, the suit can react to all your nerve impulses. Makes it easier to move around and fight in,” Vivian explained.

Kim nodded again and then took off for the other room, which she found out was a dressing room. There was a thin, unitard waiting for her on a bench. It was black and white and she guessed that was what Vivian meant by the bodysuit. 

Kim scanned the room to make sure she was alone before she shed her clothing. She sat down to put on the cat suit. She grunted and grimaced as she tried to get the skin-tight suit on.

“This is worse than putting on stockings,” Kim grumbled as she wiggled and squirmed to put the thing on.

“Be careful with that suit,” Vivian’s voice came through a speaker on the wall. “It has to remain intact for the hard-suit to interact properly with you.”

“Whatever. You don’t have a size bigger, do you?” Kim remarked.

“It has to fit snug for a reason. Besides, it’ll be nice to see your figure in something more form-fitting.” 

Kim blushed again. “I hope she can’t see in here…” she muttered, but she was too nervous of the answer to ask.

The redhead rushed into the suit as best she could, careful not to tear anything. Once inside that suit, she left the room to go back to her hard suit. When she emerged into the drab, grey room, she saw that she was alone. She looked around, wondering where the two blondes had gone. 

“We’re up here!” Tara called from a small observation deck, which was hidden behind some glass. She waved to her new teammate, grinning like child.

“Okay.” Kim giggled a bit when she caught sight of Tara. She certainly could get used to that happy energy.

“We figured you could use the space to get used to your suit,” Vivian explained.

Kim nodded, as that made sense. She made her way to her white and blue suit, taking in the sight. She ran her hands across the shoulders and her eyes seemed to mist over. She did not expect that seeing a hard suit made for her would affect her so powerfully. It was like being given a special gift from a loved one, even making her insides tremble with thick emotion. She practically tried to jump into the suit.

“Cold!” Kim shrieked and got out of the suit just as quickly as she was getting into it.

Chuckling could be heard from the observation deck. “Take it easy, Kim. Don’t rush things,” Vivian cautioned her.

“You could’ve told me it would be cold!” Kim huffed.

“But, it’s so much better to watch you squirm,” Vivian remarked with a laugh.

Kim rolled her eyes as she eased into the suit now, legs first and then arms. _What the hell have I gotten myself into?_ Once secure in the suit, she tried running off, only to find that she was caught. She flailed while the suit would not give from the stand holding it.

“Kim, you have to calm down. I need to release the suit,” Vivian said. She was trying hard to fight laughing, but, damn it, Kim was too adorable. Just her eager nature was endearing.

Kim sighed, shoulders slumping and all. She was making a total ass of herself. She figured she would stop once she was able to move. She was soon to find out that she was not done yet.

“Oh, my god, it’s so light!” Kim declared as she started doing all sorts of moves in the suit. Kicks, tumbles, and several flips.

“Kim!” Vivian called, but the redhead did not seem to be listening.

Kim moved around with no cares in the world. She went into a somersault routine and planned to end with a twist, only to slip up on the landing. She yelped and fell onto her butt. She slid across the polished, tiled floor and crashed right into the wall. A small groan escaped her. _I guess I’m just a full on jackass today_.

Tara giggled while Vivian rolled her eyes. “Kim, you have to work your way up to those acrobatic moves. If not, you’re going to hurt yourself and damage the suit. But, it would be an excuse to call Betty back…” Vivian commented, muttering that last part. She put her finger to her, sorely tempted to let Kim go wild in her suit.

Tara looked over at the older woman and was about to say something, but Vivian was saved. The console in front of them beeped several times. Vivian hit a button and a screen appeared with Shego’s picture on it. Several lines of data appeared next to her, giving her location.

“Viv, we’ve got a problem. A waitress Bebe’s gone out of her fucking mind. I need you to get my suit over here quick,” Shego reported.

“You’ll never be able to get the mobile Pit there quick enough,” Tara pointed out.

“I don’t need hear this shit! Just get my suit here before this thing fucks everything up!” the biker barked.

“Calm down, Shego. We’ll handle things,” Vivian stated. 

“Then hurry up!” Shego ordered and disconnected.

“What’re you going to do? You can’t get Shego’s hard suit there soon enough!” Tara said.

“The Knight Sabers are going to go handle this,” Vivian answered.

“What? Me by myself?” Tara’s eyes went wide and she pressed her hands to her chest.

“I think there’s someone else.” Vivian tapped her chin, glancing out into the room below them where Kim was back to flipping in her hard suit. She looked rather comfortable already, moving like a professional gymnast.

Tara’s shoulders slumped and she hunched over. “Shego is going to hate this,” she grumbled.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego scowled. _It’s always something!_ She had just been riding her bike to rehearsal, minding her own business, and then she had to see some schoolgirls screaming in a window for help. She then had to see the waitress Bebe attacking several customers through the same window. Yeah, it was always something… and then she had to add to her troubles by getting off of her bike.

“Running into a frenzy with no hard suit. This is some shit Hego would do,” Shego muttered to herself as she ran up the stairs to go into the restaurant. She was pretty sure she was out of her mind if her actions meant anything, but she could not just let people die.

Shego made inside just into the see what she suspected was once a waitress Bebe. The metal body had twisted and deformed. Veins seemed to bulge from the arms, legs, and neck. It was taller than it should have been; it had to stand at least ten feet tall by now and had four extra arms for some reason. It had a man pinned down to the floor. He hollered as the Bebe pressed him into the floor.

The restaurant had certainly seen better days. Shego wondered how long this thing had been on a rampage before she happened by. Most of the customers were escaping out of the many broken windows.

“Why don’t you pick on someone who’s a bigger bitch than you!” Shego came in with a jump kick, effectively knocking the robot off of the man, who did not need to be told to flee the scene.

Shego kept her eyes locked on the Bebe. The Bebe turned and roared at Shego, showing off a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Shego chuckled and smirked as the head transformed into something more lizard-like.

“You’re not the only one with something extra,” Shego declared and she ignited. Her hands were bathed in green plasma.

The man Shego rescued dashed down the stairs outside and ran passed Barkin and Ron, who had been called in when the news of the berserker Bebe reached the GJ police force. The officers’ eyes followed the man out for a moment and then they focused up the stairs. Barkin pulled out a handgun while Ron cocked a shotgun.

“Do me a favor and don’t say a joke before we go into this one,” Barkin requested, speaking to his partner.

“Well, that’s just boring. Can I get a battle cry or something?” Ron countered. He needed something to take his mind off of the fact that they were about to bolt into a dangerous situation.

“Just take this seriously and let’s move it,” Barkin commanded, charging up the stairs. Ron followed up after him, making sure to roll his eyes. 

The sounds of a battle reached their ears before they even made it up to the restaurant level. When they got up to the destroyed area, they got to see the last blow of the second round. Shego was flung to the floor, losing her plasma glow on impact. The GJ officers opened fire on the malfunctioning robot, which only succeeded in getting its attention. 

“Great, fucking GJ assholes,” Shego muttered, climbing to her feet. She wanted to run back into the fray, but figured it might be a little suspicious if she showed she could do the same thing that the green Knight Saber was known to do with her hands, even without the hard suit. 

Shego looked around for a weapon and found a stool. _Good enough_. She had gotten into fights with worse weapons. She bashed the Bebe in the back with the stool as it was looking to swing at the GJ officers. It turned back to Shego as soon as the blow landed and batted her away. She coughed when the hit landed and fell back. The Bebe roared and made a move toward Shego until the GJ officers opened fire again.

“This is some bullshit,” Shego snarled as she got up again and ran at the Bebe, still brandishing her weapon, which was working just as effectively as the GJ officers’ guns.

The Bebe roared again and advanced on the officers. Barkin and Ron stood their ground, continuing to fire on the robot, even though their bullets did not even seem like flies to the machine. The bullets might as well have been invisible and feather soft from the way because the Bebe just kept on coming. 

Before Shego got to the Bebe or the Bebe got to the GJ officers, a third party decided to join in. The red and pink Knight Saber burst through the only intact window of the restaurant and landed in a manner that allowed her to push the Bebe back several feet. Shego was certain that was done more by accident than design.

“That trip from the Pit all the way here was brutal!” Tara whined in a low voice. 

“What the hell are you doing? Where the hell is my suit?” Shego hissed at the suited Saber. 

“Vivian is driving the mobile Pit here right now to get it to you,” Tara answered in a whisper.

“I need my suit now! Someone has to stop this thing!” Shego motioned to the downed berserker. It would be up too soon for any of their good.

“You two stop talking! There are GJ agents right there!” Vivian stated, speaking through Tara’s communication set. “Tell Shego to get the hell out of there now.”

“Uh… Miss, you better get out of here while you have a chance. We’ve got this under control,” Tara informed Shego, trying her best to sound professional and disinterested in the biker woman. 

Shego rolled her eyes and was actually about to say something, but decided against it. She wondered why the hell Tara said “we” when she was the only one there. Instead of asking, Shego did the smart thing and tried to flee. On her way out, she passed by Barkin and Ron.

“Hey, wait a second, do I know you?” Barkin called to Shego. He was certain he had seen her somewhere before.

Shego turned, ready to remark about how lame that pickup line was and how horrible his timing was, but she swallowed that insult because she found out why the hell Tara had said “we.” A white and blue hard suit burst in through the ceiling and went right at the berserker Bebe with zeal. 

“She didn’t…” Shego muttered as a snarl tugged at her lip. She finally exited the restaurant while the new Knight Saber tore into the Bebe.

“There’s a new one?” Ron gasped, staring at the white hard suit. Barkin’s jaw just hung open. He was speechless.

Kim went in with kick moves and was swift with her attacks against the Bebe. Her hard-suit was lightweight and made it easy for her to use comfortable moves against her opponent. She could only wonder what other surprises the suit held aside from adding power to her already potent attacks.

“Wow, Kim is pretty good…” Tara said to herself, watching Kim practically dance while beating the crap out of the Bebe.

Tara could hardly believe her eyes. She thought Shego was the only one who could move so gracefully in the hard-suit, but Kim was not half bad. _Maybe it was the new suit_ , Tara thought. She had to tell herself that on the way over too because Kim had flown so much higher and faster than she could. It had to be the new suit.

Suddenly the Bebe grabbed Kim as she was going in for a punch and the robot pulled Kim to her chest, using its extra arms to pin the new Knight Saber. Kim did not seem to care and cocked her fist back for another punch, but her arm locked up. She could not move. 

“What the hell just happened?” Kim grunted and then she saw monitors on her visors blinking.

“Shit, the battery’s low!” Vivian growled. 

“The flight was too long here!” Tara complained. They used most of their battery just flying to the restaurant. _Why did the Bebe have to go haywire halfway across town?_

“I can’t move!” Kim groaned while the Bebe continued to squeeze her. 

“That’s one problem. The other being once your battery completely dies, the suit will automatically eject you to make sure you don’t get stuck,” Vivian explained. 

“If the suit ejects Kim now, she’ll be crushed,” Tara pointed out.

“That’s why I said her not being able to move was one problem. Obviously, there are others,” Vivian commented in a tense voice.

“Crushed on my first time out. That’s about par for the course for my luck since I’ve been here,” Kim mumbled, still trying to move. She could already feel the pressure from the Bebe. Damn, she wished she had at least called her parents before going out.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Does Kim come out of this in one piece or will she be broken in half? Was Barkin actually trying to pick Shego up with that line?


	6. “Tear Away”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this concept. Disney owns the characters. The concept is from the anime Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> I also don’t own the song “Tear Away.” It belongs to the group Drowning Pool. 

 

6: “Tear Away”

Kim groaned as the Bebe holding her applied more pressure to its deadly embrace. Her hard suit was running out of battery power and apparently, when it died completely, the suit was going to eject her, right into the crushing hug of the berserker Bebe. She was pretty sure that her cursed luck had just caught up with her, unless of course Tara was a better fighter than she let on earlier that day. 

Tara let out a panicked squeal as she realized she was either going to have to get into action or Kim was going to be snapped like a twig. She said a quick prayer in her head, made an experimental fist, and was about to charge into the battle, but she was saved from having to embarrass herself and possibly witness Kim’s death. The emerald and onyx Knight Saber blazed onto the scene, coming in through one of the broken windows.

“Let’s try this thing again! You’re still my dance partner!” Shego declared as her fist ignited as well as her knuckle bombs, explosives lining the suit’s knuckles, shifted on her thick gauntlet.

The Bebe’s eyes followed as Shego’s fist connected with its side. There was a burning explosion on impact and the Bebe lost an arm to the attack. The robot reeled back, dropping Kim in the process. Tara caught her immobile teammate while Shego went back in for more of that Bebe.

Shego flexed her claws, which shined from her gloves under the dull lights, and used her back thrusts to charge the Bebe. The Bebe put her arm up to defend herself, but Shego’s flaming claws cut through the metal like scissors through paper. She then closed her hand into fist to use her knuckle bombs again. She gave the Bebe her best punch and connected right between the eyes. The knuckle bombs exploded and her plasma took her fist through whatever other metal was there. Shego ripped her hand out of whatever remained and backed away as the Bebe dropped, decapitated from the biker’s actions. 

“Let’s get the hell out of here!” Shego ordered harshly before leaping through the roof.

Tara kept a good hold on Kim and followed the older woman. The blond sighed. “She’s pissed.” Of course, that was to be expected.

The group looked down as they fled the scene to see GJ forces storming the restaurant. The GJ officers had the usual big guns and body armor that was typically used by SWAT or riot control. The new arrivals charged right by Barkin and Ron, who both just sighed.

“Shown up again.” Ron shook his head, looking like he wanted to laugh. He added a shrug, even though he knew that would not appease his partner.

“Goddamn it!” Barkin punched the nearest surface, not caring that the wall had no give and he just hurt his hand. A vein in neck showing appeared like it wanted to escape his body thanks to his tension. “Fucking Knight Sabers!”

Barkin punted some debris by his foot, almost hitting a colleague in the head, but he did not seem to care. He turned around to leave the building since the Bebe was already taken care of by the Knight Sabers. Ron followed him out, as expected.

“You should calm down some. I mean, it wasn’t a total waste,” Ron said as they walked down the stairs.

“How wasn’t it a total waste?” Barkin inquired through gritted teeth, glaring at his partner. He was not in the mood for one of Ron’s so-called jokes or even Ron’s typical stupidity.

“We got to see the Knight Sabers aren’t invincible. After all, that new one had a malfunction,” Ron pointed out.

Barkin nodded. His partner was correct, so now he just needed to figure out how to use that information. It was good to know the Knight Sabers were not infallible. It meant that GJ had a chance.

“On another note, who was the girl you were trying to pick up?” Ron teased with a wide grin taking over most of his face.

“I wasn’t trying to pick her up! She looks familiar is all!” Barkin huffed and he made a few hand gestures, as if that made his statement truer.

Ron chuckled, but he did not say anything. He had found his source of amusement for the next few days, though. If his hunch was correct, he knew he would get a lot of laughs out of Barkin thanks to that girl. He could just imagine Barkin trying to put her up, as if she was not way out of his league.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim sat in a chair in the mobile Pit, which was a converted RV that stored the team’s hard-suits when they were away from the Silk Android. She stared at the floor, her eyes searching the tiles for words she wanted to say. She could feel accusing emerald eyes burning into her soul, demanding so many things from her that she did not know where to begin.

“Don’t feel bad, Kim. You did a kick ass job before the battery ran out,” Tara said. She was in the body suit they wore underneath their hard suits. Kim was also still in the body suit.

“You did do quite well for your first time out,” Vivian concurred in a gentle voice while stepping over to Kim. Tara followed suit and nodded in agreement. 

“You guys…” Kim muttered in protest, lacking any further response. She did not agree with them, but her polite nature did not want to let her express that.

“Stop fucking lying to her. She fucked up and you guys fucked up, too,” Shego declared, standing by the door of the mobile Pit. As soon as the words left her mouth, they seemed to fill the air and crush the redhead in the room.

Kim turned her eyes to Shego, taking in the fury in those cat-like eyes and the tension on that pale face. Kim swallowed, trying to soothe the unease clutching her throat. Olive continued to focus on hard jade, though.

“Thank you for saving me,” Kim said in as normal voice as she could mutter. Her tone carried her sincerity, which did not seem to be worth the air it used as far as her pale teammate was concerned.

Shego rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I don’t want to be a team with a bunch of idiots that can’t get past amateur hour.” She stormed out in a fashion the two blondes were used to.

Kim’s expression dropped even more as the door slammed behind Shego’s fiery exit. Tara turned to the other teen and frowned as she saw Kim put her head down. It would seem that the redhead was taking Shego’s words to heart.

“Don’t feel bad, Kim. You did great. Way better than I did on my first time out. I bet you would’ve won if your battery hadn’t run out,” Tara said.

Kim just shook her head and put her hands on top of her head. Vivian sighed and decided to pick up the slack for Tara. After all, they knew better to listen to every little rant that came out of the biker woman, especially when she was angry… or awake.

“Kim, don’t let Shego get to you. She’s always yelling and complaining about something. That’s her nature. She’ll be back to fight the next Bebe, like always. You were quite impressive,” Vivian said. She considered adding she could see why Shego wanted Kim as a teammate, but did not speak on it. After all, Shego seemed intent on playing like she did not want Kim, or anyone else for that matter, around and she could kill every single Bebe on her own. She would let Shego handle this one.

-8-8-8-8-

Barkin stared out one of the large windows that lined the GJ headquarters. He knew the place had so many windows because the original chief helped design the building and thought that natural light would help keep everyone energized. It was nice to have sunlight bathing the rooms and halls whenever the sun was out. He wondered how much of the original chief was left in the building, though. It was before a lot of people’s time.

His eyes focused on the city, searching. He was not sure what he was looking for. There was just something on his mind, something bothering him. 

Ron stood several feet away, going unnoticed by the older male. Rufus was on Ron’s head, also taking in the sight of the large brunette. Ron felt Rufus moving around up there, probably trying to get a closer look.

“I don’t know, Rufus. That doesn’t look like his usual ‘damn those Knight Sabers’ brooding,” Ron chuckled a bit.

Rufus made a noise of agreement before scurrying off of Ron onto the floor. The mole rat then struck a pose with his hands clasped together and he batted his eyes in a coy fashion. Ron laughed a little.

“Yeah, that might be it. Knowing him, he’s going for a girl who goes against the rules and she’ll just leave him high and dry like the couple of others before her,” Ron stated.

Rufus nodded and then returned to his perch. Ron decided to approach his partner and find out if Barkin’s mind actually was not on work for once in his life. Barkin did not even notice Ron when he was right next to him. 

“Ready to go get some Knight Sabers?” Ron asked with a big, enthusiastic grin on his face, clapping his hands together as if he was ready to seriously work in the first time in his life.

“Huh?” Barkin countered, turning to face Ron. Barkin’s usually hard eyes looked distant, as if Ron had just disturbed deep thoughts for him. 

“No, I think you’ve got other things in mind. That girl from last night maybe?” Ron asked, wiggling his eyebrows as he spoke. “The one you tried the cheesy pickup line on?” Never mind the fact that she was running for her life, which Ron figured it would be cruel to mention.

Barkin frowned. “It wasn’t a pickup line! She did look familiar. I know I’ve seen her somewhere before.” 

“If you say so. She didn’t seem to know you, though.”

“Shut up, let’s go out on patrol,” Barkin huffed and turned away from the window. He stormed out with Ron in tow.

Ron and Rufus laughed bit, knowing Barkin’s mind was not on work for once. “And I always thought he was like a machine,” Ron whispered to Rufus, who nodded.

Barkin was pretty sure that he had seen Shego somewhere before, but he could not think of where. When out on patrol, he and Ron rode passed a poster advertising the band Shattered Comet. It was one of their usual posters that featured a woman’s face with most of it blacked out to make people focus on the eyes. Barkin saw it out of the corner of his eye.

 _Is that it?_ Barkin felt like that might be it. He did not get the chance to focus on the poster enough to find out because he was the one driving. He put his mind back on his work and tried to put the eyes out of his mind, for the moment anyway.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego yawned as she rolled out of bed, quite literally. She cleaned up in her eternally cold shower; her home did not have any hot water. She got dressed in a plain green tank top and black sweat pants. She walked the narrow path cut into the trailer that she lived in, going into the kitchen to make some breakfast. Yes, she lived in a trailer — in the middle of nowhere, no less. It tended to be a guarantee she never had to see anyone, ever. It was just her and fallen buildings.

She made two foot-long hero sandwiches. On the sandwiches, she put spicy chicken, lettuce, mustard, hot sauce, and relish. She loved hot things. With that made, she grabbed a magazine and proceeded out of the trailer, only to find quite the strange sight of Kim standing outside, looking at if she was ready to come into the biker’s home.

“What’d you want?” Shego inquired in a gruff tone from her narrow stairway.

Kim’s attention snapped up from a small paper in her hand. “I guess this is the right place.”

Looking around, Kim never would have guessed she was in the right area. It did not look like human beings could survive in this neighborhood. The few standing buildings were dilapidated, in danger of collapse. Everything else was just piles of debris probably used to be buildings. The road was torn up and ripped apart, as if the place was under construction that would never be completed. The few street signs around were bent out of shape, going in all different directions. Everything seemed twisted and distorted in the vicinity. It was hard to believe this was still Mega-Go City.

“What do you want?” Shego repeated just as irked as before.

“I wanted to see you,” Kim replied to the biker’s question as if it was obvious.

“Well, you’ve seen me. There ya go,” Shego remarked, walking to a waiting lounge chair and small table. She put her sandwiches down and flopped down into her chair. She opened her magazine and started flipping through it. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted the petite redhead was not leaving, but sitting down on another chair next to her.

“I wanted to apologize for what happened,” Kim explained.

Shego made a noise that sounded something like a low groan and wished she could just sink through the damned chair. She did not want to have this — or any other — conversation. She glanced at Kim, but quickly returned her gaze to her magazine.

“You’re just a novice. Vivian was the stupid one for sending you out there with Tara, but then again, you can’t be too bright to agree with going out there,” Shego commented in her usual snide way. Her eyes remained glued on her magazine.

“I’m brighter and more capable than you’re giving me credit for,” Kim declared with fire in her tone and eyes. It would seem that Shego struck a nerve.

The biker chuckled a bit to herself. That was the fire that she saw in Kim before. It was that fire that made Kim chase her down for spilled lunch and follow her on that crappy scooter. _How hot does it burn?_ Shego grabbed one of her sandwiches and took a bite. She turned her attention to her magazine again.

“You can have the other one,” Shego said out of the blue. 

Kim was thrown by the sudden generosity from the gruff biker. She reached out and grabbed the other sandwich. She noticed Shego watching her from the corner of her eye, even though Shego pretended she was still reading her magazine. Kim eyed the sandwich, suspicion laced in her olive eyes, yet she bit into anyway. She then gagged.

“Ah, what the hell is in this thing?” Kim coughed as a tear came to her eye. She swallowed the food when she had a chance to, though.

“Too much hot sauce and maybe not enough mustard,” Shego replied with a shrug. She gathered the teen would not be able to take that many spicy foods at once.

Kim gagged. That was more than hot sauce bringing tears to her eyes, but she could not place the taste. She rested the sandwich back in the plate and looked at Shego. The biker went back to reading her magazine.

“Real funny,” Kim said.

Shego shrugged. “It is from my seat.”

There was a moment of silence. “Shego, why do you do it?” Kim asked.

“Do what?” Shego countered, feigning ignorance. She took another bite out of her sandwich. There was too much hot sauce. It overpowered everything else.

“Why’d you become a Knight Saber?”

Shego was silent for more time than she liked. Her eyes drifted back over to Kim. She opened her mouth and almost said the wrong thing. She closed her mouth and gave her brain a chance to catch up.

“Mostly the money. I like to hit stuff, too, especially fucking Bebes,” Shego replied, almost absently. Her last two words were said with an unhealthy amount of abhorrence.

“The money?” Kim echoed. She noted in the back of her head how bitter Shego sounded when she uttered the word “Bebe.”

“Yeah, you didn’t think Tara and I were in this for free, did you? We’re not idealistic idiots or anything like that. We get paid to do it,” Shego explained. 

Kim was dumbstruck for a moment more than she liked. They got paid to fight Bebes? Now that she thought about, it made a little sense considering how selfish Shego seemed, not to mention the biker was so antisocial that she damn near seemed like a misanthrope. Of course money had to be involved to motivate her to do something that involved helping people. But, there seemed to be something more to it, something that was just underneath the surface, but Kim knew she would not make it to that with one conversation. 

“That’s pretty selfish of you. You probably like it more because you get to act all superior to everyone, too.” A teasing smirk tugged at Kim’s lips.

Shego countered with a smirk of her own. “I am superior to you idiots.” 

“That’s what you think. I’ll show you, Shego. I’ll show you that I’m just as good, if not better, at being a Knight Saber than you,” Kim declared and then she took a huge bite out of the disgusting sandwich. Shego blinked. 

She would show Shego she was just as good as the biker woman. She would not be shown up or disrespected. She would prove to them that she was more than some hick out-of-towner with strange dreams. She was capable and she would carry her own weight. Maybe along the way, Shego would open up to her and reveal more than those bland reasons for why she risked her life.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” Shego muttered and rolled her eyes. She did quietly take in how Kim was downing that sandwich. The only people that tended to like her sandwiches were her baby brothers and they really just ate anything.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim went home that night, still determined to best Shego at her own game, in spite of the pains rippling through her abused stomach. The apartment was dark and empty. The emptiness remained as the darkness vanished when she turned the lights on. She took a couple of steps away from the door and was in the living room, which only had a sofa and a bookshelf in it. She was still in the moving stage of things, even though she should have been unpacked and furnished by now.

Her gaze fell upon her bookshelf where there were ribbons and trophies for all sorts of things. She was quite the “renaissance woman.” Her eyes fell onto her kung-fu awards. 

“It’s time to put those sixteen different styles of kung-fu to a real test,” Kim muttered to herself, but first, she had to practice. She had rarely been in a prolonged fight that allowed her to use her kung-fu. Well, now, she had joined a team that would need those skills and she needed to be at her best. 

Kim changed into some sweat shorts and a tank top. She ignored anything her stomach complained about and went into her soon-to-be routine. She stretched and took a few deep breaths before turning her living room into her own little dojo.

“I’m more than my mistakes. I can do anything,” she reminded herself.

She went through moves with determination and grit. Her body flexed, showing the power that lay underneath her skin, the skill that was dormant from disuse, and strength that was untapped due to the fact that she rarely needed it. She was going to bring all of that out to the surface and show everyone that the new Knight Saber was just as good as the green and black one.

 

“I can do anything,” Kim chanted. It was her mantra, now and always. She could do anything and she would do the best that she could, be the best that she could. She would surpass Shego. She just needed to remind her body what she was capable of. 

-8-8-8-8-

Shego tried to shake off Kim’s surprise visit and get ready for work. She could not believe crazy kid had tracked her down, even though she was certain Vivian had given up her address. Still, it was dangerous to come out to her neck of the woods.

“Not that Vivian cares about that,” Shego muttered. Vivian did not care about putting others in danger.

It was not just that neighborhood was falling apart. There were plenty of feral animals around that could attack. Sometimes gangs hid around there, too, since it was a place that police feared to go. It was a no man’s land at the edge of the city, a shadow of the old Go City before Hell swallowed the town in a horrible earthquake.

“She’s just insane, so I shouldn’t be surprised she’d do something this crazy, coming all the way out here. I mean, she chased me down a freaking garage over some lunch,” Shego chuckled a bit. The memory would always entertain her.

She forced herself not to think about it — or more — and mounted her motorcycle to get to the club. The last thing she wanted to do was be late. She would then have to listen to Mego bitch and moan about things. And after Mego bitched and moaned, the club owner and manager would do the same thing. _God, everyone is so fucking annoying_ , she thought.

Shego went into the Bermuda Triangle through the side entrance, which was hidden in a dark, dank alley. She went right to a dressing room and tossed on her “work” clothes. She dressed in all black when performing. Her outfit was always formal too, a black suit, with a creamy green shirt that was almost not visible when she buttoned up the suit jacket. The outfit was complete when she put on a necklace, a silver cross hanging from it.

“It’s always a funeral… isn’t it?” Shego muttered to herself, sounding almost like she was telling a joke. The look in her eyes betrayed her actual mood, though, and she sniffed a bit. “No, I’m not going to feel this way tonight. Kim said I’m selfish. Let’s be selfish, like she said.”

Shego went to meet up with her brothers to talk about the songs they would perform that night. The brothers were a bit surprised to hear the songs that she wanted to do, but they went with it. They did not really care as long as they got to play, after all.

The group went out onto stage of screaming partiers. They started up and got the attention of plenty of people who were there for the specific reason of seeing the band Shattered Comet. At the back of the crowd there was actually someone to see Shego specifically. He nodded when she stepped out on stage.

“I knew I saw her somewhere before,” Barkin muttered to himself as the band started playing.

“I’m tearing away/ pieces are falling, I can’t seem to make them stay/ you run away/ faster and faster, you can’t seem to get away/ Break!” Shego sang.

The audience roared and jumped up in excitement. Barkin was a bit surprised by the reaction. Apparently, the band was either really popular or the audience really liked this song. He just stood gruffly, his arms folded tightly across his chest while watching the band play. He stood out in the dark club with pulsing bodies.

“Hope there’s a reason for questions unanswered, I just don’t see everything/ yes, I’m inside you/ tell me how does it feel to feel like this/ just like I do,” Shego continued. “I don’t care about anyone else but me/ I don’t care about anyone/ I don’t care about anyone else but me/ I don’t care about anyone!”

Shego was finally able to stop thinking and just feel the music. She moved about the stage with the grace of a tiger and the motion captivated much of the audience. Seeing how Shego moved was one of the interesting parts of the show. There was a danger to her as far as the audience was concerned, like being trapped with a big cat and allowing the cat to move them. They thrived off of it and she thrived off of their energy.

“Do I really want this?/ Sometimes I scare myself/ I just can’t let it go/ Can you believe it?/ Everything happens for reasons I just don’t know/ I don’t care about anyone else but me/ I don’t care about anyone/ I don’t care about anyone else but me/ I don’t care about anyone or anything but me!” Shego declared. “Goddamn, I love me.” She smiled.

Her brothers played on and Shego moved around. The show went on like that as they played well into the night. When the night was over, Shego changed back into her biking gear and made her way to her motorcycle. She barely said goodbye to her brothers, but made sure they saw her leaving.

“See ya later, sis!” the twins called, waving like the pair of idiots they were.

Shego grunted, as if that was an acceptable response, which it actually was. She exited the club and went to her bike. She was surprised to find she was not alone in the alley with just her motorcycle. Shego had felt decent about herself until she saw who was also in the alley. She rolled her eyes and proceeded to ignore Barkin, who was near her motorcycle. 

“You know, you could at least say ‘thank you for saving my life’,” Steve commented.

“You sure are quite the humane bastard. Do you need my thanks to validate yourself?” Shego remarked, trying to wish him away with non-existent psychic powers.

Barkin went rigid, apparently not expecting that response. “I don’t need your validation. I just thought you’d like to properly thank the guy that saved yourself,” he stated with a cocky smirk on his face.

Shego chuckled bit. “If you’re so eager for thanks, why don’t you just take a few dollars and go down the road. There’s a place there that’ll give you all the thanks you could afford. Actually, a bunch of places considering where we are. I’m not that easy, though.”

Once again, Barkin was stiff and his smile was gone. “I didn’t mean it like that!” he huffed. His face twisted in a near rage.

“You look like the type that means it like that,” she taunted him, delighting in his discomfort if the glint in her emerald eyes meant anything. She mounted her bike and was about to put on her helmet, but decided to leave him with some parting words to hopefully keep him off of her back. “I don’t like cops, especially you fucking Go Justice douche bags,” she informed him before starting her bike and driving off.

“Hey, wait!” Barkin called, but she did not listen.

Shego sped off, hoping that was the last that she ever saw of him. Police officers, GJ agents in particular, could all rot in Hell for all she cared. At least that kept her mind off of Kim, though. Something about that kid was not good for her, as far as she was concerned anyway. She hoped Kim was as able as she seemed to be, in spite of the debacle that was her first run out. 

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: GJ versus the Knight Sabers, and it doesn’t look too good for the Knight Sabers.


	7. “Amerikaz Most Wanted”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this concept. Disney owns the characters. The concept is from the anime Bubblegum Crisis 2040. 
> 
> I don’t own Superman, who gets a mention in this chapter. I also don’t own gundams, which are also mentioned. The chapter title is a song by Tupac and Snoop Dog.

 

7: “Amerikaz Most Wanted”

Gemini sat still in his seeming-eternally dark office, thinking and brooding as usual, but not on the usual topic. Lately, his “darling” sister occupied his mind. He had sworn that he had beaten her, but something inside of him told him otherwise. That something knew the existence of the Knight Sabers had something to do with the feeling. Did his dear, little sister have something to do with those fools?

“Only she could have made those damned suits, couldn’t she? Is she still out to ruin me?” Gemini rubbed his chin with one hand and the other kept his dog on his lap. His face tense and his eye seemed to stare through the distant wall.

 _She’s always trying to show me up_ , he thought with a deep scowl. First, she tried to show him up in front of their father. Then, she pretended as if she would help him with the business after their father died, but in fact, only helped nearly ruin it… in his opinion anyway. And, lastly she had the nerve to leave, which he supposed served his purposes better, but it was more like she was trying to mess things up for him. _She was such a spiteful bitch_ , he thought bitterly.

“That’s why I was so happy to take her dream from her, thinking she would go away. Go away crying like the little bitch that she is. Now, is she back? Is she trying to ruin things for me again, like always?” he growled like a wild beast. Pepe whimpered and shook, but Gemini ignored his precious pet.

Gemini was almost certain his sister was back, trying to take what was his and make an ass out of him. He had not heard anything from his sister since she resigned her post as the head of GJ five years ago. _Go Justice_. He scoffed. What did his sister know about justice?

She had to be up to something, he was certain. He refused to believe she was all right with living a boring life in that little mechanics shop that she had in a rundown part of the city. That was not who she was, after all. She was the daughter of Bernard Gemini, so she had to do big things, big things like somehow having the Knight Sabers taking on his precious Bebes, like she wanted her damned GJ force to do so many years ago.

“There has to be a way for me to find out if those damned Knight Sabers are actually her handiwork. Well, there is a way, but I would have to be able to make a berserker Bebe on my own,” Gemini considered.

With that thought, he summoned the one man he thought would be able to help him — Doctor Drakken. The chief scientist of the Bebe division was not very pleased to be called to the office, but then again, he never was. Gemini glanced over Drakken’s anger as he always did. The blue man always seemed to be in the middle of a tantrum.

“What do you want now?” Drakken demanded, stomping his foot in his usual child-like manner.

Gemini scowled. “Doctor, need I remind you who you work for?” It was one thing to be angry, but it was another to be rude and insubordinate.

Drakken sighed. “What do you want?” It was the same petulant tone, but at least he excluded the stomp this time.

“Drakken, is there a way to make a Bebe go insane?” Gemini inquired in a calm tone, as if that was not a bizarre request.

The cerulean scientist was quiet for a moment and a lone bead of sweat trailed down his face. His heart sped up for a moment and his mind reeled. _What made the chairman ask such a question? Has someone been spying?_ Drakken told himself to remain calm. No one knew what he was doing, or what he was attempting to do. He was sure of that.

“I don’t think it is possible,” Drakken answered before things got awkward.

Gemini raised an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly. “Not possible? Isn’t one of our labs researching the effect?” They needed to know what made the Bebes go berserk in the first place, so they definitely should be able to induce the process.

Drakken shook his head. “They haven’t been able to crack it just yet. We’re not totally sure what the malfunction is in the units that go berserk.”

“So, you wouldn’t be able to make a Bebe go insane?” the boss asked in a clearly annoyed tone. _Why is this the leading mind in Bebe production?_ Drakken was a buffoon on a good day.

“Well, there are ways, but it wouldn’t be as delicate as you’re looking for, I’m sure,” the scientist explained. He knew better than to totally upset the man who owned the company, not if he wanted to get everything he wanted, after all.

“You know how to take care of it then?” This was why he kept Drakken around.

Drakken nodded. “Yes, I think I could do it. What do you have in mind?”

“I’ll let you know after you get the Bebe going.”

Drakken nodded again and decided to go do what Gemini wanted before the chocolate-haired male could get into one of his rants or something else troublesome. Drakken breathed a sigh of relief when he exited the large office. “I thought someone told him about all of my tinkering with the Bebes. Now I have to figure out how to give this guy a berserker Bebe at the exact time he wants one.” He scratched his head.

Drakken retreated to his private laboratory. Despite the fact that it was a lab, he tended to keep the lights dim. All of the equipment shined and sparkled under the low level light, reminding him how new and expensive everything was. This was the perfect research space. He pulled his chair up to his desk in the corner and turned on his computer. He frowned as he stared at the screen.

“There has to be a way to get these things where I want them and have the Bebes do what I want. If it wasn’t for that blasted earthquake I’d just have the main unit and I wouldn’t have to deal with this idiot anymore,” Drakken grumbled with a scowl. “I wonder where the hell that main unit is.” He scratched his cheek with his gloved hand and then shook his head.

Drakken tried to stay on track, so he focused on the problem at hand. He had to figure out how to make a berserker Bebe in a way that he could tell Gemini about. He thought of an easy way to do it.

“I’ll just put an already corrupted unit out in an area Gemini wants. It should work just as well. I wonder what he’s planning. I’ll have to remember to ask him,” Drakken said. It would do him good, too, having never seen a berserker Bebe run out of control for too long.

-8-8-8-8-

“It’s all set up,” Drakken reported, back in Gemini’s office. “The Bebe should start up soon enough.”

Gemini nodded. “That’s good.” He turned his attention to a large monitor in front of his desk, where he planned to watch all of the action.

“Why’d you want to do this anyway?” Drakken asked. 

“I’m curious about the Knight Sabers,” the one-eyed male replied. His voice was calm, so he did not seem very eager to know about them.

“Curious about them? Before you said they were just vigilantes chasing phantom problems, but now you’re curious?” Drakken’s face twisted a bit, pulling his mouth to the side. He scratched his head for a few seconds, not understanding the appeal.

“I want to ask them something,” Gemini said cryptically. He wanted to ask them if they knew his sister, if they belonged to his sister. He was even curious as to maybe one of them being his sister. He did not recognize her fighting style in the few clips he had seen, though. He had to admit he had not seen things long enough for him to be certain one of them was not his self-righteous sister. It would be just like her to not admit that he won and start this stupid crusade.

“You want to ask them something?” Drakken echoed with a furrowed brow. _What would anyone what to ask those pests who ruined everything? If I were in charge, I’d just get rid of them._

“Yes, I want to ask them something,” the boss repeated through gritted teeth that time. He hated repeating himself and noted he had to do that a lot with Drakken. He was pretty sure that Drakken was dense in all areas outside of mechanical science.

“What?”

“That would be my concern.”

Drakken was about to say something, but the screen showed the “party” was about to get started. The GJ police force arrived on scene before the wanted guests did. They got there pretty quick. The Bebe had only just gone berserk.

“Is it all right for them to show up first?” Drakken asked Gemini.

The chairman waved that off. “It’s all part of the plan. How did you manage the Bebe?”

“We just replaced a unit that was at the factory with a unit we had already deactivated because of its madness,” the scientist explained blandly, tone almost implying that the boss was an idiot for not guessing that.

Gemini did not comment on the tone, too focused on the situation building. He eyed the monitor closely, hoping to see fast results for his plan. Drakken did the same, wanting to see what would happen to the unit now that it was able to continue its madness. How much would it transform?

The Bebe did something they hypothesized could happen with Bebes, but had never actually seen. They knew a malfunctioning Bebe could and always did change its shape, but the Bebe merged with other machines nearby. It seemed to gain power that way. Then, it hooked into the power line in the factory, devouring that juice and it began to grow. Their faces remained passive as they watched, but on the inside, Drakken was drooling at the power possessed by the Bebe.

-8-8-8-8-

The GJ police force had their hands full as soon as they arrived on the scene, which was a factory near a construction site. They set up a barricade, hoping to keep the killer Bebe contained. They prepared to storm the factory, watching as the Bebe managed to become more menacing.

Barkin and Ron rode onto the scene, even though they were not on duty. They had heard the call and just thought to go check it out. They exited the car and Ron could not help whistling because of the size of the operation.

“What a time not to be on duty,” Barkin muttered, looking around. GJ appeared to be ready for war, running around in armor, orders being screamed out, and bodies moving to get into position.

“I’m just surprised the Knight Sabers haven’t shown up yet to steal the thunder,” Ron remarked. He looked around for them just in case.

Barkin frowned, hating to be reminded of those… creatures. He decided to go find out what the operation was all about and if the Knight Sabers had shown up or not. Ron followed behind him, curious as well.

“Hey, what’s this all about? Why’s the whole thing so big?” Barkin asked a nearby officer. He had never seen any GJ operation so active and massive.

“The press is here and this is being televised. We get a chance to show people we’re not a bunch of hotheaded men with big guns that don’t do anything. We can get the people on our side, especially since we’re planning to catch the Knight Sabers when they show up too,” the officer explained.

Barkin nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. I wish I wasn’t off-duty right now,” he commented. “Good luck on this operation.” He patted the other officer on the shoulder before that officer ran off to get into position.

“I get the feeling we should’ve brought popcorn,” Ron remarked, speaking more to himself than anyone else.

“Popcorn!” Rufus squeaked excitedly and popped up out of the blonde officer’s pocket.

“Sorry, pal, none here. But, you are in time to see a good show, I’ll bet,” Ron assured the naked mole rat. “After all, since when is any of this televised?”

-8-8-8-8-

The Knight Sabers were assembled in the Pit, ready to get into their hard suits. Well, most of them were anyway. Shego was not around yet. They could have gone out, but Shego called and said she was on the way, so they waited around for her. It was the safest move.

“Now, if this was one of us, she’d be hollering about how annoying we are,” Tara commented with her arms folded across her chest. She was about to go into a fun little impersonation of their favorite crank, but the door opened to reveal the missing member of the team.

“Shego, it’s about time you got here,” Vivian huffed a bit, glaring in the pale woman’s direction. 

“I could’ve met you there,” Shego pointed out, as if that was a proper defense.

“I suggested that and you swore you were almost here. Now, we need to get moving. Apparently, this Bebe isn’t just raging out of control, but it’s also absorbing machines around it and soaking in the factory’s power supply, making it stronger than any Bebe you guys have ever faced,” Vivian informed the team.

“Great,” Tara groaned. “Since when do they do that, anyway?”

“Since now,” Vivian replied.

“Everybody just stay out of my way and I’ll take care of this crap,” Shego declared.

An amused smile settled on Kim’s face and she put her index finger to her chin. “You know, I don’t see the cape, so you can’t be Superman.”

“Oh, you have a brain that’s big enough to throw a few insults out. So, I guess it’s larger than a pea, but probably no bigger than a plum,” Shego countered.

“I’m sorry, are you describing your humanity?” Kim smirked.

Shego actually frowned and pointed at Kim, obviously about to lie into her. She did not get the chance, though.

“Will you all just get ready to launch?” Vivian huffed, having a feeling that those two might actually be able to go at it all day. “You can flirt with each other after you take care of this,” she added with a wink. She could not help herself.

“The hell?” both Kim and Shego flinched like that was a serious insult.

“They scream the same curses and everything. It’s actually cute!” Tara dared to coo.

Shego turned and snarled like a wild beast at her. Tara let out a little yelp and jumped back. Maybe she would leave the teasing to Vivian.

“Come on, let’s go! We got a berserker bot to take care of!” Tara shouted in a gung-ho manner complete with a fist pump while running toward one of the chambers to change into her hard suit.

Shego had to put on her body suit, but it did not take too long. She was the last one to suit up. The team was the shot out of the underground chamber as if they were bullets in a large gun. They flew to the location while Vivian went to get the mobile Pit. She planned to meet up with them in case they needed help.

-8-8-8-8-

The Knight Sabers touched down on the roof of the factory and kept out of sight while trying to assess the situation. Tara looked out into the GJ forces while Shego and Kim scanned the edge for the Bebe, deciding to look through a hole that they were pretty sure was not there by design. They caught sight of GJ officers advancing on a high wall of debris, so they suspected that the Bebe was there.

“Okay, Tara, it’s on you for now,” Shego said.

“Leave it to me. I’ll take out the GJ camera first and then work on the power to try to disconnect the Bebe from the rest of the factory system,” Tara replied.

“How about you go do it instead of telling me about it?” Shego snapped.

Tara grumbled a few mocking words, but hopped to it when Shego turned to glare at her. Now, she actually could not see behind the dark visor of Shego’s helmet, but she just knew instinctively that the older Knight Saber was glaring daggers at her. It was safer to go do her job than to continue to annoy Shego.

“So, we have to wait for her?” Kim asked.

“Unfortunately. Hopefully, she doesn’t see a kitten or something and get distracted,” Shego remarked, flicking her fingers in a dismissive manner.

“You’re just on tonight, huh? Singer, song-writer, stand-up comedian?” the redhead taunted.

“If you’re looking to help me add first degree murderer to the list, I’ll oblige.” Shego held up a gloved and armored fist.

“Really, do you two need to get a room?” Vivian’s teasing voice came over their communication units. “Stay focused and worry about the Bebe. You can have a fist fight after that if you still want to bug each other. Although, I’m sure hate sex would be a better idea.”

“Really?” Shego huffed while Kim practically choked on the air.

“Fine, fist fight. Hate sex is more fun, though,” Vivian replied.

“You’re sick.”

“No, you’re just cranky. I suppose the fist fight would be the way to go.” Vivian sighed.

Shego was about to say something about being able to break Kim in half if they got into a fist fight, but she really did not want to hear Vivian’s mouth again, so she kept quiet. Kim, ever the good-little-girl, Shego noted, followed orders and focused on the problem at hand. Of course, Kim might actually just be dumbstruck by Vivian’s choice of words. Shego decided to look in on the predicament rather than find out why Kim was so quiet.

The Bebe continued its rampage. It ripped through anything that GJ sent its way while continuing to morph and grow. By now, it was like taking on a raging elephant that was made of nearly indestructible alloy. Worst of all, the officers did not seem to come prepared for that because they were shooting at the Bebe and it did not even seem to notice.

“How’s it going, Tara?” Shego inquired. “These GJ idiots are getting their asses handed to them. Morons are actually going in with riot gear in, like that shit helps.”

“I’m moving on. I just disabled the GJ cameras. I’m going to handle the wiring right now,” Tara replied.

-8-8-8-8-

Static reigned over the monitors of the GJ officers. There was only a glimpse of the red and pink Knight Saber, who did politely wave at them, before the picture disappeared. Many of the GJ officers were not even aware the Knight Sabers were on the premises. Gemini and Drakken, who had been watching from the GJ line, had to switch their pictures to feeds directly from the mad Bebe.

“Good thing I wired the feed in, huh?” Drakken asked Gemini, as if he wanted praise. The boss ignored the attention-seeking scientist.

Looking through the eyes of the Bebe, they got to see the GJ units advancing on the machine. The GJ officers fired at will, but none of their rounds affected the Bebe. From the expression on the officers’ faces, they were actually surprised by that. They also looked aghast, wondering what the hell sort of monstrosity they were up against. _Fools_ , Gemini thought.

For a moment, Gemini actually gloated on the inside. It was satisfying to see his sister’s dream reduced to a group of idiots who probably would not be able to find their asses in the dark. Her hopes had become some morbid cartoon while he ruled a massive empire that continued to grow. _I’ve won, so why do you continue to torment me?_ Shaking that thought off, he focused back on the screen.

The rogue Bebe changed its shape after fusing with so many machines in the factory that only its head let people know that it was still a Bebe. Other than that, the shape it assumed was something like a thorny spider that was the size of a three-story building. It roared in the direction of the GJ agents, which backed them up for the moment.

-8-8-8-8-

“This isn’t looking good,” Ron commented as he watched the retreat. He was tempted to go grab a gun for himself and help, but he knew the guns did not do much against such a large berserker bot. Besides, he was off-duty and could get into a lot of trouble if he rushed in on a mission he was not invited to in the first place.

“Where are they? I know they’re here,” Barkin muttered, scanning the area. It was too quiet for his liking. He knew somewhere nearby the Knight Sabers had to be lurking in the shadows. This Bebe thing had grown too out of control for them to _not_ be here. _What were they waiting for? What were they up to?_

“Looks like they’re bringing the K-suits finally,” Ron said as he glimpsed behind him to see the K-suit armored division coming in. The officers in riot gear were ordered to retreat to make room for the K-suit division.

“It’s about time. Maybe we can wrap this up if before the Knight Sabers show up,” Barkin said.

Ron did not say anything to that one and just waited to see what the K-suits were going to do. He never told anyone, but the K-suits reminded him of mini-gundams. He was pretty sure whoever designed them watched too much television… like himself.

The K-suits were like tanks fit for a human to wear. They were the most advanced suits of armor… next to the ones the Knight Sabers used, anyway. They were dark blue with the GJ emblem on the shoulder. They were equipped with guns, but more importantly they had laser weapons. They marched into the scene, firing at the Bebe with their guns at first, but having to use the lasers when the Bebe went to grab one of the retreat riot officers.

The Bebe roared as it lost an arm, but the arm grew back in less than a minute. The K-suits continued firing, but the Bebe did not seem too bothered by the shots. The robot turned to the advancing suits and reached out for them. It grabbed the closest one and the officer inside started screaming. Everyone’s eyes went wide.

“That damned thing is fusing with the K-suit!” Barkin shouted as the metal from the Bebe seemed to melt onto the K-suit.

“Gee, a Bebe that fuses with machines and they’re surprised when it starts fusing with the machine that they send out after it,” Shego remarked under her breath. “Geniuses, the lot of them.”

The K-suits started to back out of the Bebe’s reach, hoping the distance would save them. The Bebe threw out another one of its arms, showing it extended beyond what the officers thought was its range by allowing its arm to grow. The demented robot caught another K-suit in its grips and proceeded to try to fuse with it. The retreating K-suits fired lasers on the arms holding their comrades. 

The arms were detached from the Bebe thanks to the lasers cutting through the metal with heated ease. The K-suits were able to escape and join the retreat. The Bebe gave chase after its arms grew back.

“Any day now, Tara. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy watching these assholes get killed for bringing a knife to a gunfight,” Shego quipped. 

“I’m almost done. This isn’t like yanking out a whole bunch of wires, you know? After all, if it was, we could’ve sent a brute like you in to do this,” Tara replied with a laugh.

“Careful, kid. You still have to ride home with me, remember?” Shego pointed out as if she was serious. She smirked to herself when she heard Tara squeak. 

The line was silent for a few seconds and then Tara seemed to come to life again. “All right, guys, I rewired everything. It should be safe for you to go in there.”

“It’s shrinking,” Kim noted, staring at the Bebe.

“Then let’s have at it. Make sure you stay out of my way,” Shego warned Kim while leaping down off of their perch to go engage the Bebe. Kim followed suit, jumping down after the green and black suit.

The pair charged at the Bebe, having to avoid a two arms shooting out at them. They sidestepped the attack and thought they had a clear run at the Bebe’s belly, but found out the assumption was quite wrong. Though the Bebe was shrinking in size, it could still manipulate its body and a thorn-covered limb shot out of its once-unguarded belly. Shego dodged it just in time, but Kim was caught right in the side. The redhead let loose a pained, and surprised, cry as she flew backwards at a force that she never experienced. She was almost sure it might have been enough force to escape Earth’s orbit.

“Kim!” Shego screamed in a voice that she almost did not recognize, looking in the direction of the now-tumbling Knight Saber.

“I’m fine!” Kim lied as a wall stopped her unscheduled trip. The Bebe continued to press her into the stone, apparently looking to crush her. Groaning, she wrapped her hands around the limb and tried to push the damn thing off of her.

“Let her go, you bitch!” Shego commanded, fists burning their usual jade fire and she punched right through the arm pinning the newest Knight Saber.

Kim fell to the floor, but picked herself as quickly as she could. She wobbled as she forced herself to remain standing. She leaped into action, looking to help Shego. Her ribs protested to the hasty movement, but she ignored them. What did bones know anyway?

Kim came in with a powerful kick, aided by the explosives that lined the hard suit’s boot The Bebe lolled to the side and paused for a moment. Just as Kim was about to come in for another hit, a limb shot out of the Bebe’s back, looking to take her out. Shego came down, flaming fists first, and severed the arm. Before Kim could take her next hit, another pair of limbs came out and batted the redhead away. Kim grunted as her body tumbled.

“Shit, this thing is making this really hard,” Shego muttered.

“You all right, Kim?” Tara asked as she came down from up high, landing next to the fallen Knight Saber. She helped Kim to her feet. 

“I’m fine. This thing sprouts arms in the blink of an eye, even though you unhooked it from the power source,” Kim answered.

“It’ll probably slow down eventually,” Tara commented.

“But, we don’t have time for that. We’re on a time budget if you remember,” Shego pointed out. “So, Tara, you and I will distract this thing and Kim goes for the core of the damn thing.” 

The two younger vigilantes did not argue and Kim stood up properly. Shego ran at the Bebe while Tara leaped into the air. Shego punched at the machine with her usual blazing fists while Tara fired upon the robot with her own weapons, which were thin, needle-looking projectiles. All of the suits had the needles, but Tara used hers more because they were long distance weapons. Usually, the needles worked well at disrupting electrical currents and shutting machines down for a while, but this Bebe was already too strong for that to work. Thankfully, the needles stunned it enough to work as a distraction. 

The Bebe turned its attention to Tara and let out a thunderous roar. Shego did not give it much of a chance to do anything to Tara as the green Knight Saber came in for a fierce punch. The Bebe roared as if in pain and Kim suddenly dropped out of the sky onto the large Bebe.

“Destroy the core!” Shego called up to the redhead.

“As if I don’t know that!” Kim shouted back. She pulled her hand back and readied the knuckle bombs on her own suit. She gulped and thought back to the simulation where she had to blow the Bebe’s head apart to destroy the core. 

“Kim, destroy it!” Vivian ordered heatedly over the communication unit. They did not have the time for hesitating.

“Any day now!” Shego huffed, barely dodging a swipe from the Bebe.

Kim swallowed hard and then shoved her hand into the Bebe’s skull. The robot hollered as if in intense agony and then the knuckle bombs ignited. The head exploded soon after and Kim was thrown back from the force of her own weapons, but she was able to make a controlled landing that time. She took a moment to look down at her hand after that, noticing the black, blood-like substance coating her gloves fist. The Bebe’s unmoving body dropped to the cold, concrete floor.

“All right, let’s get the fuck outta here before our batteries completely run out,” Shego said, jerking her thumb behind her. 

The other two Knight Sabers agreed with that and leaped up, hoping to make their escape. They were surprised when they started coming under heavy fire from the GJ officers on the ground. They all turned to look, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. 

“Are they trying to kill us?” Kim gasped. She was not yet aware of all of the hatred that GJ held for the Knight Sabers. 

“Obviously. Fucking GJ pricks,” Shego growled. She had half-a-mind to go down there and obliged them if they wanted a fight.

The ladies continued their ascent, but Kim’s boosters suddenly faded. She swore mentally while trying to force the jets to keep going by sheer will alone. In the end, the thrusters gave out and Kim pummeled into the darkness below them.

“Kim!” Tara called in a shriek of a voice.

“Shit, Viv, we’ve got a problem,” Shego reported. 

“Whatever it is, take care of it now. You need to get out of there,” Vivian pointed out in a hard tone.

“Let’s go get her, then,” Shego said. Tara could tell just from the voice Shego wore one of her scary, almost evil smiles.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim landed with a pretty heavy, scrapping noise, which gave her location away immediately. Thankfully, she could still move. She rushed to hide behind some debris, having to crouch behind it to be properly hidden. _Not the best time to be wearing a freaking white suit_.

She checked her power supply, hoping it would be enough to at least run out of the building. From the way it felt just to move her suit right now, she doubted she would be running anywhere. Looking at the power gauge, she would not be using the suit at all soon enough. _What the hell kind of crap batteries do these things run on anyway?_  

She turned her attention back to her surroundings as she heard the approach of something big. She suspected it was a K-suit from the sound of it. She was correct in that.

“Remember, we want the Knight Sabers alive, so be careful in there,” a superior warned the K-suit operator.

“I dunno, boss. It’s a little hard to see in here,” K-suit operator replied with a chuckle and sought out the fallen Saber with his infrared vision. He chuckled when he spotted her and opened fire at her, shooting right through her protective debris pile. 

Kim wasted no time in trying to flee the scene, even though her armor now felt like it weighed tons and like it was rusted through. She was not going to get away from him moving at the same speed of a frozen slug. She was as good as dead, she realized with a gulp.

“Gotcha!” Tara chirped as she seemed to come out of nowhere and she grabbed Kim. 

“The GJ officer?” Kim asked.

“He’s being handled,” Tara replied. 

Shego snarled as she came down on the K-suit like the divine hand of God… the burning hot hand of God. She laughed as her plasma cut through the suit and her knuckle-bombs took care of the surrounding bits of metal. She leaped away to follow her teammates out of the mess.

“Shego! Be careful, that’s not a Bebe!” Tara pointed out.

“I don’t really give a fuck,” Shego countered quite seriously.

The trio went back to ascending and came under heavy fire again. They made it to the roof and stopped to make sure Kim was all right. They looked up when they heard helicopters.

“You three get out of there now! They’re broadcasting this whole thing!” Vivian informed them.

“Oh, fuck,” Shego groaned while Tara just let out a long, drawn whine. They took off again and looked like they were in the clear, but a few bullets clipped Tara in the leg. She lost her balance and fell, along with Kim, who she was still supporting.

Tara and Kim landed hard, some three stories on the ground level of the factory. They faced a whole line of K-suits with guns aimed at them. Both teens breathing increased and their heart rates accelerated as they faced what they thought were their executioners.

-8-8-8-8- 

“It looks like GJ is about to kill your precious Knight Sabers,” Drakken commented as he and Gemini continued to watch the scene play out.

The live broadcast was back, so Gemini switched to that since they lost the Bebe feed. Reporters claimed GJ had cornered the outlaw Knight Sabers. While waiting to find out what happened, networks gave a rundown on who they believed the Knight Sabers were, which was all rather inaccurate. 

“I don’t care about them. I just want the suits,” Gemini replied. He really had no worries about the girls operating the suits. He just wanted to take the armor and find out how it worked, if his sister made it, if she was inside one of the suits, and if she was working against him again. He would not stand for it. He had crushed her dreams once before… and he would do it again if necessary.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: do the Knight Sabers make it out of this alive? Vivian has a surprise visitor.


	8. “Bring Me Down”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this concept. The characters belong to Disney. The concept is from the anime Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title is from a song by Kanye West featuring Brandy.

 

8: “Bring Me Down” 

Ron marched over to the commanding officers on scene. “Are you guys planning to kill the Knight Sabers or something?” he inquired, glaring at all of them. 

He understood GJ wanted to look good for the cameras since the operation was being broadcasted. It seemed cool enough until his fellow officers began firing on the Knight Sabers as if they first prize in a carnival game. It was made worse by the fact that the Knight Sabers had just saved them from a giant monster Bebe.

“Calm down, Ron. This was authorized by the chief,” Barkin said as he walked over to his partner.

“Authorized?” Ron echoed as did his little naked companion, Rufus. Now, the chief might have been a little unstable, but he doubted the short man would authorize a wholesale slaughter… or so he hoped. _I might need to rethink this job_. Rufus shrugged, not sure what to make of anything either.

“We’re here to bring in the Knight Sabers by any means necessary. If one or all of them end up dead, then so be it,” one officer answered. The hardness of his face alone was frightening.

Ron balked. He could not believe these were his coworkers. He also could not believe the lengths they were willing to go for because of their pride. _It isn’t worth your soul_. 

“What? You can’t do that!” Ron’s face turned bright red. “Those are people, human beings!” He reached out, ready to grab the guy by the collar and shake him as if that would get him to rethink his orders. Instead of wrapping his hands around the man’s neck, he motioned to the Knight Sabers. “They’re people!”

“We don’t know that,” another officer said. 

“We don’t know they’re not! You can’t just go after them like this!” Ron huffed.

“Those are the orders! That’s how it stands,” the officer barked, squaring his shoulders and glaring down at the much shorter Ron. 

Mentally, Ron scoffed at this guy trying to intimidate him. Ron had expert status when it came to dealing with yelling thanks to his partner. So, he did not even flinch and stared right back at the man.

“Ron, let it go. These are the orders. You can’t expect everyone to back down from orders. Besides, we’re not on duty right now,” Barkin pointed out.

He glared down at Ron, eyes demanding he stand down. He did not seem too happy himself to hear the orders, but he put on a stern face. The tension in his body as he folded his arms across his chest was a dead giveaway that he did not like this. Ron could only wonder what was going through Barkin’s mind, but he did not feel like contemplating it right now.

Ron sighed and stormed off, not wanting to see what they had in store for the Knight Sabers. He just hoped his comrades did not do anything stupid in order to carry out orders and prove their worth to a public that despised them. Barkin followed behind him after taking a lingering look where the two of the Knight Sabers were pinned by a line of K-suits. He shook his head while walking off.

-8-8-8-8-

 _My_ _luck hasn’t gotten much better since I came to Go City_ , Kim sighed to herself. She leaned against Tara. Her suit’s battery started to die and Kim feared Tara’s suit would follow soon enough.

“Is Shego really just going to abandon us here?” Tara muttered, looking around for a way out. Her battery was pretty much spent and about all she could do was hold up Kim. 

They watched for the GJ K-suit division, who had guns trained on them and were slowly advancing, just in case the scary, big, bad Knight Sabers pulled a fast one on them. Things were looking bleak for the pair. Without Shego, they were probably as good as dead.

“Shego would never do something like that!” Kim argued with more passion than either of them expected. There was a beat of silence between them.

“You don’t think so? Then where the hell is she?” Tara whined. She did not sound much like she thought Shego would abandon them, but more like she wanted to know why the hell Shego was not there yet.

“You really can’t believe I wouldn’t show up when there’s ass to be kicked!” Shego landed in front of her teammates. She scoffed.

The green and black Knight Saber launched herself at the GJ squad like her ass was on fire and hitting them would put it out. Her fists flared with that now familiar emerald flame and she cut right through several K-suits at once. Knowing she did not have enough power in her battery to take them all on single-handedly, she went in search of a weapon and found one quite close.

“Shego, remember those are people, not Bebes!” Kim shouted.

“GJ and Bebes are all just the same to me!” Shego replied as she lifted a nearby tank and flung it at the K-suits.

Kim and Tara could not believe their eyes. Shego was a force to be reckoned with, more so than they first suspected. They glanced at each other.

“Can you lift a tank?” Kim asked. Tara only made a noise, which Kim took as a no.

A few of the K-suits were able to get out of the way. One fired an energy beam at Shego and it connected directly with her chest. The force of the beam sent the enraged Knight Saber flying into the nearby wall. She groaned as she impacted the cement of the wall and then the concrete of the ground. She lifted her head, glaring in the direction of the dead man that dared cause her such pain. She raised her hand, ready to show him some of her other tricks, but found that her suit was starting to freeze up on her.

“Fuck! I’m almost out of power, too,” Shego hissed, speaking more to herself than anyone else, even though she spoke out loud. Her eyes focused on her teammates and one thought crossed her mind: failure… again. “Fuck you, GJ…”

The K-suits, seeming to figure out that the Sabers were now defenseless, started to advance on them again. They trained their guns on the women, just in case they tried something. The Knight Sabers could not move, though.

“You got any tricks up your sleeve?” Kim asked, speaking to Tara, even though her eyes were fixed on their fallen teammate.

“I was planning to cry, but if you have a better suggestion, I’m open to it,” Tara replied as they heard guns cock.

“No, crying seems about right, right now,” Kim remarked.

“I can’t believe they don’t even holler anything like ‘surrender’ or ‘come out with your hands up’ or something,” Tara said.

Tara could not believe that the force that she actually worked for was about to gun her down like a common criminal. Kim could not believe that a police force would actually just fire on defenseless people, such as they were. Shego thought things were going par for the course until someone came to their rescue.

The K-suit operators gasped and backed away as a fourth Knight Saber showed up, dropping from the sky like an avenging angel… or demon depending on whom was asked. The new hard suit was lavender and purple, but shined as if it came down from the heavens. The new suit went into action rapidly, throwing one hand out and a wire shot from it. The wire connected with a K-suit and an electric current shot through the suit, shutting it down. The newcomer was not done yet, though.

The purple suit held up its right hand and a sword almost the same length as its arm formed, coming out from the middle of the suit’s forearm. After that, the new Knight Saber dashed into the crowd, cutting through the K-suits limbs right up to the point where the human arms were not severed, but the suits were done. 

-8-8-8-8-

Barkin and Ron turned back as they heard a bunch of the commotion. There was panicked shouting from GJ officers and metal tearing against metal. They thought the K-suits might actually be killing the Knight Sabers, but they saw that was not the case. They noticed their coworkers were being taken care of by the purple Knight Saber.

Barkin blinked, not believing his eyes. “That one hasn’t been around for a while,” he murmured. He sighed and shook his head a little. 

“That one? You mean you’ve seen that purple suit before?” Ron asked, squinting at Barkin.

“Yeah, but not for a long time now,” Barkin replied. “This can’t be a good thing.”

“It wasn’t a good thing when the guys started talking about taking the Knight Sabers dead or alive. What the hell is the top brass thinking?” Ron huffed.

“I don’t know, but I don’t think they’re going to be able to go through with that plan from the looks of things.” Barkin pointed into the brawl. The purple Knight Saber cut through all of the K-suits. 

The lavender and purple suit then grabbed the other Knight Sabers and escaped with them while the GJ force were left holding the bag, being quite empty-handed in front of all of Go City thanks to their own helicopters. The GJ officers all seemed to deflate as the Knight Sabers escaped, all except for Ron and Barkin; they were both fighting off smiles as the vigilantes disappeared into the night. Other spectators were also not impressed.

-8-8-8-8-

“It looks like GJ failed to capture the Knight Sabers. What’re you going to do now?” Drakken asked Gemini as he turned from the monitor to face his boss. He made a conscious effort to keep for laughing at his boss’ defeat.

The one-eyed man was quiet for a moment. He remained focused on the screen for a few seconds, even after everything went black. A scowl stormed all over his face as he turned his attention to Drakken. He let out a long exhale and then waved the whole thing off with a flick of his good hand. His face kept a frown despite how nonchalant he tried to appear.

“It’s nothing. The Knight Sabers aren’t all that important,” Gemini answered, as if the whole thing that just occurred with the Knight Sabers and GJ police force meant nothing more to him than a person watching a boring television show. 

“Just can’t admit failure, huh?” Drakken sort of teased the man in charge. He just could not help himself.

Gemini’s frown became a scowl, which did not match his words. “I’ve already won.” He always won. 

Drakken scoffed and decided to take his leave from his employer, whom he thought was quite delusional if he took what happened as a victory. Gemini watched the scientist leave and did not say anything to stop him. Right now, Gemini wanted to be alone. 

“I won. I know I did. I’m the one who has Dad’s empire. I even took her precious dream from her, so why do I feel like she’s still mocking me?” Gemini pressed his hands together and rubbed his palms against each other. He could not shake the feeling his sister was somehow acting against him, even though he knew that could not possibly be. After all, thanks to his actions she was nothing more than a dirt-poor mechanic in a bad part of town.

Still, Gemini was not totally convinced about she was out of his hair. Was she behind the Knight Sabers armor? If he ever wanted peace of mind again, then he would need to find out. He decided after some time had passed, he would set up another little trap for them to find out what he needed to know. Perhaps he would be able to get Drakken to do another Bebe, but with more ferocity than that one that failed.

He would leave Drakken be for now. He did not like to be around Drakken for long, as Drakken tended to forget himself. He would try to come up with some ideas to avoid leaving it all up to Drakken next time.

Drakken retreated his empty lab. He went his own computer to do some research and planning. It would not serve him well to be discovered.

They were both left to their thoughts. Drakken thought of Bebes and Gemini of the Knight Sabers. And, at the time they both felt like the smartest guy in their respective rooms.

-8-8-8-8-

Betty was crouched down in front of her latest project. She did not turn around at first when she heard the hum of a familiar bike pull up behind her. Shego was silent, too. They both probably could have stayed like that forever, if Shego did not notice what Betty was working on anyway.

“Nice. Think maybe I could ride it sometime?” Shego proposed in a surprisingly arrogant tone as her green eyes locked onto the naked machine Betty worked on.

“No, it’s not finished. And don’t try to come around here to steal it and take it for a joyride either,” Betty replied, eyes still on her work. She was building a motorcycle; a green and black one if the colors that were on display told an accurate tale.

Shego chuckled and held up her hands. “I won’t make any promises.” She folded her arms across her chest. “It looks close enough to finished to me, anyway.”

Betty grunted. “Stay away from this bike. What do you want anyway? You need something fixed?”

“Yeah,” Shego answered. Betty finally turned and glanced at the bike that Shego had rode in on.

“Looks fine to me,” the one-eyed woman replied.

Shego’s face scrunched up for a moment. “Oh, no. Not that. I don’t need anything fixed. She needs something fixed… a few things actually.”

The mechanic nodded. “I’ll go over there later then.”

Shego nodded and Betty turned her attention back to her work. Shego lingered, staring at Betty’s back, noting the muscles just underneath Betty’s tank top. There were some marks and scars. Shego’s fingers twitched for a moment, but she did not move. After a few seconds, the rock singer went back to her bike and rode off. She needed to go home and rest anyway.

“So tired.” Shego yawned, making sure to focus on her ride.

Shego just wanted to collapse into bed for a couple of hours to give her body a chance to recover from last night’s action. She had pushed herself hard to fight against her suit losing power. _I probably shouldn’t have picked up that tank_ , she thought, almost chuckling to herself.

“Well, at least the youngsters made it out of that one alive,” Shego scoffed and rolled her eyes. She suspected they were resting up after such an ordeal and she was quite right.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim was not sure if she had ever slept so long in her life. But then again, she doubted her body had ever felt as sore as it did at the moment. She was shocked she did not have more than a few bruises. The way she felt made her think that she would need a full body cast.

She was thankful she did not have to go to work that day. If she did, she would have had to call in because there was no way she could have been able to make it to the building. Still, she contemplated going through some katas and doing a few other exercises because something was plaguing her.

 _How could they get their suits to move so much longer than I could?_ Kim stared at her naked hand.

For the first time in her life, she thought her hand seemed small and frail. She was around people who seemed to have stronger, more capable hands. Even Tara, who admitted to not being able to fight, seemed more fit to be a hero than she was currently proving.

Uncertainty began to creep into her again. Okay, she could take out a killer Bebe, but could she keep up with her teammates? Was she still a liability to the Knight Sabers? She had to find out, so she got on the phone with Tara.

“Hey, Kim!” Tara chirped, sounding as if they had been friends for years and like she was so happy to hear from Kim.

“Hey,” Kim replied, sounding much more dejected than she meant to. Then again, compared to the way Tara answered the phone, most people would have sounded dead after that.

“How you’re feeling?” Tara asked.

“Sore.”

“Me, too!” Tara said with open honesty. “I don’t ever want to be in that suit when the battery runs out again. The fact that you went through it twice so close together is just nuts. How did you even make it out of bed?” She chuckled a bit.

“Determination.”

“Yeah, I can see you have a lot of that. You’re amazing!” the GJ operator declared.

Kim frowned a little. _I don’t feel particularly amazing_. “Not really. My suit ran out first and I couldn’t move at all like you guys.”

“It just takes some getting used to. I think the reasons ours lasted longer than yours is because we’ve used them so many times before. The suits are kinda in sync with us, like a good pair of shoes.”

Kim giggled from the comparison. She considered Tara probably had a point. She had not been out in the suits as much as they had. She and her suit were brand new. They had to get accustomed to each other. Vivian did say something about the suit getting in sync with her, but she supposed something like that took time, more than two trips out, apparently.

“Don’t worry about things, Kim. You’re doing fine. I mean, I know Shego’s tough on you, but you see she’s like that with everyone,” Tara pointed out.

Kim could not deny that. Shego certainly was tough on everyone, trying to keep them all at a distance. Once again, she could not help wondering why Shego even donned her Knight Sabers suit. No one would go through what they went through for just a cheap thrill and some extra cash. Hell, it did not even seem like Shego used that money if her living arrangement meant anything.

“Tara, do you know why Shego is… like that?” Kim asked.

“Nope. Never gave it much thought. I just figured she was a bitch, you know?” Tara laughed, even though she was being honest. 

Kim chuckled, even though she did not totally agree with that. It was possible Shego was a bitch, but there was also the fact that Kim believed if anyone did something noble, the person had a noble reason behind it… except maybe Tara. Tara seemed like she was just having a good time and was in general a good person; a little crazy too since a person had to be a little crazy to go out and do what they did.

“Tara, what makes you put on the suit?” Kim asked.

There was a moment of silence, which made Kim wonder if she had managed to offend the cheerful teen in someway. The silence did not last too long, though. It would seem Tara just needed to contemplate her response.

“Well, I was going to say how I ended up on the team, but that’s doesn’t really explain why I do it at all. I know this’ll sound lame, but I guess I just want to help people and this gives me that chance,” Tara replied.

Kim smiled. “That doesn’t sound lame at all.” After all, that was her reason for doing it too. So, Shego was wrong; Tara did not do it for the money.

Tara chuckled a bit. She was happy Kim did not laugh at her. She was pretty sure if she told Shego that response, the biker would have cursed her out and called her an idiot or something. It was nice to have a teammate she could talk to, she realized.

“Is that why you wanted to join, too?” Tara guessed.

“Yeah, I like helping people,” Kim answered. Well, there was that, but it felt like something more. She was not sure what, though. Maybe it was just her usual competitive drive.

The two teens remained on the phone long enough for Kim to forget why she called in the first place. It was a good thing she had taken care of that in the beginning because their topics quickly strayed from Knight Sabers to other things. It was fun, though.

-8-8-8-8- 

Vivian sighed as a frowned marred her pretty features. She sat on one of the sofas by her pool. She stared down at her hands and thought about the events last night. 

“It’s painful to not be able to wear clothes you really like, especially when they were once your favorite outfit and really cheered you up, made you feel like you were someone again,” Vivian murmured.

She was distracted from her thoughts as Will came into the room. He bowed to her as usual and she could not help smiling. She always took his bowing as him being way too sweet for his own good. He was also way too devoted to his job, but it was rather endearing.

“You have company,” Will reported.

“Company?” Vivian tilted her head a little as her brow furrowed. Then her face brightened considerably. “I was expecting Betty sometime today.” It took all of her self-control to not clap.

“It’s not her…” Will said, squinting a little and shaking his head slightly. He glanced off to the side.

Vivian’s creamy forehead wrinkled again and her eyebrows curled upward. “No? Then who?” No one other than Betty would come calling on her. Shego and Tara steered clear of the place, except for missions. Shego did this because she was anti-social and Tara because she just could not take it when Vivian started suggesting clothing she should wear or making comments on her figure. It was like those two had no idea how cute they were.

“It’s a boy. He claims to be your nephew,” Will reported. 

“My nephew?” Vivian’s face twisted and she shook her head. Then her face brightened once again, as if the sun just rose in her dark world. “Yes, my nephew!” She practically flew off of her seat.

Will seemed to misinterpret what she meant. “I know. I was just telling him that he’s mistaken—” he started to day.

“Of course he’s not! Please, bring him in!” Vivian practically sang. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as she watched Will leave to do her bidding.

Vivian bounced on her toes, so eager that it did not occur to her to change into something more appropriate than the short lavender robe that she was barely wrapped in. She rushed the brunette young man, who entered the room with Will. She embraced the newcomer, smothering him in her breasts because he was at a low level due to his wheelchair. 

“Felix!” Vivian cooed, her eyes closed tight and a happy grin plastered on her face.

“Aunt Vivian!” Felix cried, arms flailing with the hope that he would escape her crushing embrace. 

“I’ve missed you so much!” Vivian showered his oval face with light kisses.

“Okay, Aunt Vivian! Could you let me go now?” he pled with a laugh, trying to swat her away. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, kiddo!” Vivian finally realized not only was she suffocating him, but sort of molesting him as well thanks to her robe. She made a mental note to go get dressed as soon as she could, but first she wanted some information. “Are you here to stay?” she asked.

“I was hoping,” he replied with a boyish, charming smile. 

“Good! We’ll have to find you a room then! Will, can you take care of that?” Vivian requested of the butler.

“I will take care of it, ma’am,” Will replied. He turned and motioned for Felix to follow him, which the teen did.

Felix gave his aunt one last look and flashed her a grin to which she responded with a bright smile. He then disappeared with Will. Felix thought it was a bit odd for his aunt to have a butler, even though she was rather wealthy. 

“How long have you been working for my aunt?” Felix asked, having no problem keeping up with Will in his wheelchair.

“How long have you been her nephew?” Will countered. 

“Excuse me?” 

“All of Miss Porter’s family is supposedly deceased, yet here you are.”

The air was suddenly thick and the silence packed. They did not speak all the way to the room. Will only seemed to bid Felix farewell out of obligation. Felix laughed a hollow laugh.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have come,” the blue-eyed young man said to himself and the full furnished room. But, he could not stay away. Something called him here. He missed his aunt.

-8-8-8-8-

By the time Vivian was in new clothes and ready to go catch up with her dear nephew, Will informed her that Betty had arrived. Betty was already down in the Pit, working, which was to be expected. Vivian changed clothes again and then went down there, small smile gracing her features while a fashionable dress clung to her curves.

“How are you doing today, Betty?” Vivian inquired, her happiness so obvious in her voice that she sounded almost like she was singing. 

Betty glanced her way and took a long moment to respond. “I would be doing better if only you didn’t have brutes running around in these suits,” she commented attention back to look at the ruined three suits.

Vivian laughed lightly. She supposed Betty could have scolded her on something different. After all, there was that spot with their three champions on national television being beaten down by the GJ police force. That might be a touch too personal, though, Vivian thought.

“You know, my nephew’s here,” Vivian said with the hope of sparking a conversation.

Betty’s back stayed to her and the brunette continued focusing on the suits, but she did open her mouth. “Since when do you have a nephew?”

For a moment, Vivian frowned. Was Betty playing around? No, of course not. She never would play around. _How much knowledge has been lost in a quest to forget?_ Vivian hated to think why Betty had asked that question, so she shook it off.

Vivian chuckled, sounding almost embarrassed. “He’s a very sweet boy. My sister’s son.”

“Sister?” Betty’s forehead wrinkled. “Isn’t your sister…?” She did not bother to finish the question, but her mind seemed to be turning.

“Yes, my sister’s son,” Vivian repeated, smiling decreasing just a bit.

Betty squinted a bit. “But, isn’t he…?” She trailed off and shook her head. Maybe she was crazy.

Vivian perked up for a couple of reasons. She was actually happy to see Betty had not entirely ruined her mind. Beyond that, she was just happy Felix was there. “He’s going to live here. I’m very happy about that!” She missed him so much.

“Are you sure you want him to live here?” Betty inquired, sounding as close to not caring as a person could. She tried her best not to search her mind for a time when she might have heard about Vivian’s nephew, beyond what she thought she knew. Maybe she forgot, like so many other things. _It was best to forget everything_ , she reminded herself.

Vivian’s smile flattened severely and all the song in her voice exited with the expression. “You don’t think I can take care of him?”

Betty shook her head; it was meant in more than one way. “As you are right now, do you think you could take care of him?”

Vivian growled uncharacteristically and she made a fist so tight her nails bit into her palms. Her eyes blazed with white, hot anger, but she took a breath and calmed down in an instant. She hugged herself and chuckled a bit, now sounding so hollow Betty had to turn around. They locked eyes with each other and Betty actually felt something. It was hot and stabbed her in the stomach with more intensity than she needed right now.

“He’s my responsibility, like so many other things. I have to take care of him,” Vivian said in a quiet tone.

Betty nodded and then turned back to her work, waiting for the emotions to fade. They were silent from then on, almost oppressively so. Vivian just watched Betty’s back while the mechanic worked on the suits. Laughter suddenly escaped the blond, but it might as well have been sobbing. 

“I don’t want to screw up again,” Vivian whispered and she fled the room before Betty could say anything.

“It wasn’t your fault…” Betty said to the empty room. It probably listened better than Vivian, though.

-8-8-8-8-

Felix had to give himself a tour of the building since his aunt disappeared from what he could tell. He made it to the store on the ground level, but quickly tried to find a way out of there, seeing what items were on the shelves. In search of an exit, he looked into the fish tank at the back wall and something caught his attention. He could see something just beyond the glass and he could feel something, as if something was whispering to him.

Curiosity overtook Felix and he decided to investigate. He made his way to the lower part of the building from the elevator. His eyes went wide and he gasped before he could think because of what he saw when the lift doors opened.

Betty turned to look, thinking Vivian had finally come back. She was about to scold the blond over the lavender hard-suit, but the words died on her tongue. Her eye went wide for a millisecond as she saw the intruder and took him in as quickly as possible. _Vivian’s nephew?_ There was not much family resemblance outside of the eyes, but the eyes said it all. Eyes that showed so much promise for the world. Eyes that were shattered if one looked hard enough.

For a second, Betty felt like something tried to work its way into her head, but thankfully Felix spoke before anything happened. She was all too happy to keep everything buried.

“Wow, those are some fine machines you’re working on!” Felix said with a bright smile that made those sapphire eyes sparkle. 

Betty only blinked, as if his attitude caught her off-guard. She should have expected it. He was definitely Vivian’s relative. _Maybe having him around would do Vivian good_ , she thought. But, then again, there was the alternative that having him around could crush Vivian completely. Vivian was willing to take that risk, but Betty was not so sure. 

“I’ve never seen machines quite like this, though,” Felix commented, coming closer to the mechanic. 

“Being Vivian’s nephew, I’m sure you have,” Betty replied. There was no way he could have escaped seeing things like this if he was related to Vivian.

“Well, my mom and Aunt Vivian never really showed me what they worked on,” Felix admitted.

“Your mother was also a scientist?” Betty asked. She knew the answer to that, but decided to be a little personable with her visitor by having a conversation.

“A robotics expert like my aunt. My mom made my chair. She specialized in cybernetics,” he explained with a proud smile.

Betty nodded. “And what about you?”

“Robotics expert… wannabe,” he declared with a grin. Apparently, he was charming, too. It was probably genetic.

She nodded again. The robotics thing might just run in the family, as well. She watched as his eyes roamed the suits, as if he was already acquainted with them. He took it all in, enjoying the sight… as Vivian would have done once upon a time, back when she could actually enjoy and appreciate the work.

“Does Vivian know you’re down here?” Betty asked, turning her attention back to her work. She knew the answer to that, too.

Felix laughed nervously. “Actually, I don’t know where she’s run off to.”

The one-eyed woman nodded once more. _Maybe taking care of her nephew wasn’t the wisest decision_ , Betty thought. It was hard to tell.

“Do you think it would be all right of me to help?” Felix asked, his eyes shining with hope. “I’m a very fast learner, especially with machines, and I know my way around basic tools,” he added to prove he would not be in the way.

“I don’t need any help. You should go back upstairs,” Betty replied coldly, a much different tone than she had been using only seconds ago. The last thing she needed to do was get Vivian’s nephew mixed up in their mess. Vivian was already a train wreck and she doubted adding Felix would help matters. _Not to mention, you’re probably worse off than she is, so this kid doesn’t need to be around you_.

“But—” Felix tried to object. 

“Get lost, brat,” Betty said.

Felix huffed and left… for the moment. He ended up coming back with dinner for her. He put the plate down, but she did not acknowledge his presence in the slightest. He went to sit in the corner and watched her… for hours with these big, bright puppy eyes that reminded her way too much of another robot lover.

 _As stubborn as his aunt_ , Betty thought with a scowl. She sighed, thinking about how bad she was at handling family while trying to figure out the best way to deal with the kid. “Fine. Hand me a wrench,” she sighed.

Felix’s expression brightened and he rushed over to help her. Betty took a moment to glance over at him and finally took in his wheelchair. It was probably a mini-tank if made by someone that carried the name Porter. She felt the thought was confirmed when a tentacle-like arm picked up the wench from the toolbox next to her.

“Here you go!” Felix said eagerly.

Betty spared him a bored glance, but she accepted the wrench. And from that point on, he helped her. They worked with few distractions, but hit a problem as they focused on the emerald and obsidian suit.

“Hmm… where the hell is that part?” Betty scratched the top of her head. 

“What’s wrong?” Felix asked, looking around as if he could help find whatever she needed.

“I’m missing a part. I think I left it in the other room. You go get it,” Betty ordered.

Felix did not argue and he moved to go get the part, knowing what piece it was since he had already worked on the other two suits with Betty. He went to the room he thought Betty was talking about and was surprised to find a certain trio in the Pit’s changing room.

Shego and Kim glanced over at him as if they were not too interested, but Tara screamed. Tara was the only one still getting dressed and she was in her underwear. Felix hollered in surprise and rushed away from the room with a hot blushing burning his cheeks. He was not lucky enough to escape their wrath. As soon as Tara was in the body suit necessary to operate her hard suit, the team was in the room with Betty and Felix. Tara was ready to tear him a new one.

“Who the hell is this?” Tara screamed, shocking everyone in the room. She was not usually so loud or crass. She pointed a demanding finger at Felix, who now hid behind Betty. 

“This is Vivian’s nephew and my new assistant, Felix,” Betty announced gruffly.

Kim and Tara looked surprised while Shego looked skeptical, yet they all asked the same question. “Vivian has a nephew?” 

“Apparently so,” Betty commented, motioning to the boy. She was actually as surprised as they were, but for a different reason that she, of course, did not share.

“Well, I’m still going to kill him!” Tara declared and she tried to rush him, but Kim held her back.

“Yeah, this new addition to the team’ll work well,” Shego muttered sarcastically. “All we need is another kid around.”

“Yeah, because you’re so much older than everyone else on your team,” Betty snorted and then she sighed. She supposed if push came to shove, she was going to have to get that part herself because Tara did not seem ready to calm down and Felix was having a good time cowering behind her. 

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the Knight Sabers are back to their old tricks… the only problem is that their suits aren’t as ready as they assume the suits to be. Of course, they end up in trouble. Who will bail them out this time?


	9. “The Bottle”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters and I don’t own this concept. The characters are owned by Disney and the concept comes from the anime Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040.
> 
> This chapter title is a song by Gill Scott-Heron.

9: “The Bottle” 

Tara grinned as she charged out of the changing room in the hard suit unitard. She glared at Felix, who was situated behind Betty and going through a tool kit. Betty did not say anything while Tara slipped into the red and pink suit. 

“I hope you upgraded it like Kim’s!” Tara declared and then she started doing flips in the suit. “Wow, it’s so light! This is great!” Tara practically did a gymnastics routine on the Pit floor to celebrate her new suit. Betty did not bother to look up at her, but Felix glanced over at the graceful movements every few seconds.

Vivian stepped off of the elevator to see the middle of the routine. She arched an eyebrow to Tara’s behavior. Tara came to a halt right in front of her and smiled so brightly that Vivian had to smile back.

“I’ll be able to keep up with Shego and Kim in a suit like this! Shego will never say I’m in the way again!” Tara cheered and clapped her glove-covered hands. She then went back to doing her somersaults.

Vivian chuckled a bit, but she did not respond to Tara, not that Tara seemed to be listening anyway. Vivian turned her attention to her nephew, only staring at him. Felix looked off to the side, as if he knew that she was reprimanding him in her mind. He knew she was going to scold him, and not for watching Tara move around the Pit.

“Felix, I would very much rather if you didn’t come down here anymore. I told you that,” Vivian said calmly. She hated to think what could happen to him while down in the Pit and she really did not want to take any chances.

“But…” Felix trailed off, not too sure what response to offer that would get his aunt to change her mind. Hell, she might even be right to be concerned, but he felt like he was strong enough to make it through this.

“It’s good he’s here. The repairs are going much faster than usual and he really knows his way around machines,” Betty pointed out. She was not surprised by his knowledge, especially as memories she thought she drank away filtered into her mind. She could not believe she had forgotten about Felix, but she was also not too happy to be remembering things either.

Vivian shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t want him involved in this. Felix, I just want you to be a normal kid. That’s all.” She lovingly caressed her nephew’s cheek.

Their sapphire eyes locked on each other and Felix felt so extremely guilty. Not just because he disobeyed his aunt to help Betty, but because he knew he was going to do it again. Betty seemed to tolerate his presence and he had already learned much from her. His interest was snared, he was hungry for more, and he believed he had a mentor… even if she was a bit grouchy for no reason sometime.

“I’m sorry, Aunt Vivian. After this, I’ll leave things alone,” Felix promised in a low tone. _How could I lie so easily to her trusting face_ _?_ If only he knew what his aunt were capable of, he probably would not have felt as bad.

“Good,” Vivian said with a solid nod. She turned to look at Betty, her eyes saying Felix was to be left out of it.

Betty did not respond to the look. She really was no good at dealing with family, especially now. Instead, she started to pack up, figuring she could turn in for the night. She gave Tara a glance, seeing the teen was still hopping around the place like a hyper rabbit. The one-eyed mechanic fought off a laugh.

-8-8-8-8-

Gemini watched the footage of the Knight Sabers that he was able to salvage from their recent bout with GJ. He was in his dark office, reclined in his chair with his dog in his lap. The frown on his face seemed as if it was there for the long haul.

“I know this is your work, sister.” Gemini rubbed his palms together. “I won’t let these damned Knight Sabers get away with trying to ruin things for me. I’ve finally gotten the company stock rising again thanks to the natural resources mining projects in the sea and soon in space, so I definitely won’t let her ruin things for me. I’m going to have my damn empire and she won’t stop me. I shouldn’t have left things up to the stupid GJ police. A force full of idiots that can’t even capture three injured women,” Gemini spat in disgust.

Gemini already had his next plan of attack worked out. He thought his last operation had to two major flaws: the first was that he relied on the incompetent GJ police force to do something right. The second flaw was that he used an uncontrollable berserker Bebe in order to draw out the Knight Sabers. He needed something more reliable and he already had that.

His company had recently developed new Bebe types. The new models could not make decisions on their own and required a human operator at all times. The new models were the reason the company had picked back up. These Bebes were the ones being used in the natural resource mining project and other operations. The work the new models put in put the company far ahead of what most people expected, leading Gemini to believe he would have his dreams very soon.

He was sure he could get one of his many minions to operate one of the Motos, the name of the new, mindless Bebes. Then, he could use a Moto to take on the Knight Sabers. He just had to pick the right Moto in order to do such a thing.

The best thing about the plan was he did not have to involve Drakken. He did not like, nor did he trust, that man. There was something not quite right about the “good” doctor, even if he was the one who invented the Motos and helped develop the current Bebes. Yes, he was a key reason Gemini even had a company. That was basically the reason Gemini put up with the mad scientist, but he knew he needed to keep an eye on Drakken.

 _I wonder what the hell he wants to accomplish…_ Gemini was fairly certain that whatever Drakken had in mind had to do with his precious Bebes. Well, if it did not interfere with Gemini’s agenda, then there would not be a problem.

-8-8-8-8-

Felix sighed as he wandered through the Silk Android. He stopped and looked at a few low-cut tank tops situated against the wall in the dimly lit shop. He turned to the side, noticing he was not alone.

“I don’t think any of those are your size,” Will commented, standing off to the side. He kept a stoic expression on his face, despite the fact that he had made a decent joke.

“No, I don’t suppose they are,” Felix muttered, eyeing the butler. “What’s a guy like you doing working for my aunt, anyway? You look like you’re about my age, so you couldn’t have been working for her for too long.”

“I am a couple of years older than you are as I understand it. As for why I work for her, someone I respect greatly requested it,” Will pointed out.

With a nod, Felix tilted his head slightly as he took in the picture of Will. From the butler’s demeanor, it was hard to believe he was only a couple of years older than Felix. “How long have you been working for her?”

“How long have you been her nephew?” the butler countered in his typical calm tone. He still could not find any evidence of his employer having any remaining family. Supposedly, every member of her immediate family died, including the one sister she had who would have been able to give her a nephew.

“All my life,” Felix answered as if it was obvious. “I even used to live with her for a while. I never imagined her the type for a butler, that’s why I asked,” he explained, thinking he might have offended the young man.

“She fought the decision… rather well for a while, but in the end, I am here.”

“Who requested that you work for her, anyway?”

Will shook his head. “That’s not really important. There are plenty of things to do in the building. You don’t have to be so bored.”

Felix nodded. “I know, but the one thing I want to do, I said I wouldn’t. I want to keep my word, if only for a little while.”

“A wise person once told me that throughout life, you’ll find yourself in situations where you have to figure out what is the best for the situation, which might not always be the best thing for your morals. Now, your word is important, but you have to figure out _how_ important sometimes,” Will stated.

“You’re a pretty smart guy,” Felix commented with a friendly smile.

“I had a very good teacher before taking this job,” Will replied. There was a hint of a smile on his face, showing his pride in whoever his teacher was.

Felix nodded and decided it was time for him to find something else to do. He also figured he would think on the words that the butler told him. Was it better to keep his word or to help Betty? It was clear Betty was doing important work for his aunt, so maybe it was important for him to help. He was not sure, especially since he could not figure out exactly what they were doing with those hard suits.

He continued to wander the building and think things over. He stopped as he heard voices. It sounded like Vivian and her trio of ladies. He dropped his wanderings for eavesdropping.

“An unregistered Bebe is wandering the streets of Mego-Go-City, tearing up property. Kim, your suit still isn’t ready, but Shego and Tara, you two are good. So, suit up and let’s move out,” Vivian informed the group. 

“What am I supposed to do then?” Kim inquired, a little insulted she was not going to be able to go out. She was already felt close to useless.

“You’re with me in the mobile Pit, Kim,” Vivian answered.

Dread settled into Felix’s stomach, making him feel heavy. “Oh, they can’t be taking the suits out! Betty didn’t finish Shego’s yet!” Whatever the hell they needed those suits for, he doubted the plan would work out since Shego’s suit was unfinished. 

Felix rushed off, hoping the ladies would still be downstairs in the Pit. His expression fell to the floor when he saw the lower level was completely devoid of life.

“Damn it!” He slammed his fist against his chair and rushed to the observation deck, in need of a communication device of some kind.

-8-8-8-8-

The GJ police arrived on the scene in time to see a large, crazed Moto fling a parked car from its path. They were a bit stumped by the sight. They had never seen a Bebe that looked as the Moto did. They were not sure about the machine. Usually, a Bebe that had been raging as long as it had, it would have changed its shape by now and caused more damage, but they did not think too much on it. 

The huge Moto stood over twelve feet high and was build like a tank on two legs. When it turned to regard the GJ officers with glowing white eyes, the dozen men all visibly flinched. But, then the Moto turned away, as if it did not care about them.

“Open fire on that thing!” Barkin ordered. He and Ron were with their other comrades, on duty for this one.

The GJ officers aimed their massive guns and fired on the Moto. The bullets bounced off of it, ricocheting from its thick hide in all directions. Some of the projectiles went right back at the officers, puncturing their vehicles and almost wounding a few of them. They ducked for cover. 

“Shit, follow that thing and call in some K-suits!” Barkin commanded.

“Way ahead of you!” Ron was already in the car and on the speaker to get reinforcements.

The K-suits arrived before the Moto got too far away. It was not a very fast-moving object, stomping through the streets like an oversized elephant. The K-suits were no match for it either, but it did not do much aside from disregard them. No GJ officer was seriously injured yet. The vehicles on the street in the Moto’s way were a different story, though. 

“How weird is this?” Ron muttered, watching the K-suits getting batted away by the Moto.

“What do you mean?” Barkin asked.

“I know I haven’t been around as long as most of you other guys, but I’ve never seen a berserker Bebe be this gentle with us,” Ron answered.

“Kind,” Rufus squeaked from his place in Ron’s pocket. He watched the “raging” robot and did not see much similarity between it and the usual berserker Bebes.

“Maybe because it’s a newer model from the looks of it. Let’s see what we can dig up on it in the databank. Call Tara. She’s usually good at these things,” Barkin suggested.

“I don’t think this is Tara’s shift. We might have to make due on our own. I know another operator that should be able to help,” Ron replied and he climbed back into the car to call another GJ operator he thought might be able to help them. “Hey, Wade, we need information on this berserker Bebe.” 

“I’ll see what I can do. Try not to get killed in the mean time,” Wade remarked from over the intercom.

“Can do,” Ron said. It was nice to actually mean those words for once. He doubted their current quarry had it in it to kill any of them.

The GJ force regrouped and went at the Moto again, but it did not seem too interested in them. Ron joined the officers and opened fire, but it was clear that was not doing anything. He was glad for a call back from Wade in no time. 

“Okay, so, that thing is called a Moto, apparently. It’s a secret Bebe line that the Gemini Corporation has been testing, more than likely for their planet mining plan. They’ve been using them underwater, so they have to be tough to withstand the pressure at the bottom of the ocean. It’s supposed to be remotely controlled by a human operator, but this is the weird thing,” Wade reported.

Ron sighed. “What’s the weird thing?” He just knew he was not going to like this.

“The one you’re going against isn’t registered to an operator like all the others I’m looking at and I can’t find a signal from an operator that could be moving that thing.” 

“Is it driving itself?” Ron guessed. _That can’t be good_.

“Something’s fishy about it,” Wade agreed.

“Yeah. Um, can’t talk now, Wade. I think something’s happening to it,” Ron said and he disconnected the call to turn his attention to the Moto.

The Moto stopped moving and it looked as if sparks flew off of it. The GJ officers remained fixed in their positions, surrounding the Moto, and waiting to see what it had planned. The next thing they knew, the Moto roared, sharp teeth forming in a mouth that just appeared on its face, and its eyes flashed a bright scarlet. 

“The hell? Did it just transform?” Barkin asked whoever would answer.

“Pull the K-suits back, so it doesn’t fuse with them!” Ron called out.

The K-suits quickly retreated while the Moto grabbed the nearest object, which happened to be a thick tree and tossed it at the GJ patrol cars. The tree smashed the hood and shattered the windshield of two vehicles. A few officers had to take cover to avoid getting cut by flying glass and metal.

“What do we do now?” Ron asked as the Moto started to merge with a nearby car. It transformed as soon as it merged with the car, now taking the form of an ogre with sharp six-inch spikes coming out of its back and shoulders.

The answer to his question came in the form of two Knight Sabers landing a couple of feet from the Moto. The robot turned to them and roared in their direction. The vigilantes were not moved by the threatening sound. 

“Don’t—” Shego started to say to Tara, who knew the drill.

“I’m not going to get in your way because I’m going first!” Tara charged into the fray.

Tara went at the giant monster with vigor, doing kick moves Shego thought looked a bit familiar. _Those two must be getting somewhat close_ , she considered. She had never seen Tara look so close to competent. The blond seemed to be a natural when it came to kicks and then she fired her needle-like projectiles into the face of the Moto. The Moto roared as the needles punctured its face, but they did not have any effect on the creature. 

“You done the dance routine?” Shego inquired.

“You’re just mad because you didn’t get in on any of this,” Tara replied as the Moto went down.

Tara was about to celebrate, thinking she had kicked major butt. Suddenly, the Moto shot up and slapped her away, harder than any Bebe ever had. But, then again, she tended to shy away from direct combat like that, so maybe berserker Bebes all hit like that.

Sighing, Shego shook her head. “Saw that coming.” She charged into battle. She leaped into battle, stopping the Moto from crushing Tara with its massive, and now spiked, foot. 

-8-8-8-8-

“Vivian! Vivian!” Felix called from the computer in the Pit. 

“Felix, what did I tell you about being in the Pit?” Vivian demanded. She was in the mobile Pit, driving with Kim seated next to her.

“Vivian! You have to stop Shego!” Felix hollered. 

Vivian’s brow furrowed. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“Her suit isn’t finished yet! It’s not fixed completely!” 

“It’s not fixed?” Vivian shook her head. “Oh, no,” she gasped and her face drained of color. “What’s wrong with the suit?”

“I don’t know! I just know it’s not ready yet!” 

Vivian opened a new line of communication. “Shego, pull back!”

“Uh… kinda in the middle in the of something!” Shego replied. “If I pull back, Tara’s gonna get stomped into the paste.” 

Vivian growled in frustration. She did not have the mobile Pit close enough to the situation to do anything. She might have to risk it, though.

“Aunt Vivian, hang tight for a few minutes. I’ll go get Betty and ask her!” Felix said and the line went dead before she could object. 

“You’ll go do what?” Vivian shouted, but her nephew was gone. Shaking her head once more, she turned her attention back to Shego. “Shego, you need to pull back!”

Shego snorted. “Still kinda busy. Please hang up and try your call again, maybe when Tara isn’t about to die.” 

“Shego!” Vivian did not get a response this time. She growled, wanting to punch something. “Damn it, Shego.”

“Shego,” Kim tried to reach the biker.

“Yeah, Princess, kinda busy. What don’t you guys get about life and death situations?” Shego replied.

Kim tried to get through to Shego again, but found Shego was ignoring her. Olive eyes turned to Vivian, pleading with her to do something. Sighing, Vivian rubbed her forehead.

“That girl is so damned stubborn,” Vivian growled. This did not instill Kim with a lot of confidence.

Shego came at the Moto with her fury burning in her fists. She hit it with several punch combinations before leaping into the air with her arm cocked back, knuckle-bombs whirling to like. She was ready to come down on the robot with exploding fists to finish it off. She landed on its back and heard an electric buzz. She tried to punch the Moto, only to find her arm was locked at the elbow, making it impossible to move. She fell over because of her momentum from trying to throw a punch.

The rock singer crashed onto the ground, scratching her suit and groaning as she landed. The Moto roared, sounding triumphant. Apparently, it knew that it had the upper hand. _Great, I got a smart-aleck Bebe about to kill me_.

Shego growled and tried to move her arm. “What the fuck? Vivian, what happened with my suit? Didn’t you say it was ready?” She was going to beat the hell out of that blond idiot if she ended up getting hurt!

“Hold on. Felix is on it,” Vivian replied. She bit the end of her thumbnail and prayed she did not get someone else killed. _Please, too many have already suffered for my mistakes_.

“Felix is on it? Oh, yeah, I feel so much better.” Shego scoffed. “I’m about to be eaten by a goddamn garbage disposal unit!”

“This wouldn’t have happened if you fell back like we told you,” Kim pointed out. Despite her words, the lines under her eyes told the tale of her worry.

“Thank you, Princess. This is the perfect time for an I-toldja-so,” Shego replied with a grunt.

 _Come on, Felix. We’re all counting on you_ , Vivian prayed while glancing into the back of the mobile Pit. She would have to go with Plan B soon if she did not hear from her nephew. And, she would have to make that decision quickly or Kim might just run out there sans a hard suit.

-8-8-8-8- 

“Betty!” Felix hollered as he entered a small, dark room.

His eyes scanned the room and found Betty sitting on a beat up sofa. She leaned back with her arm over her eye. There were several empty bottles around her, on the floor and on a messy coffee table. Felix blinked and stared at the open, clear bottles.

“She drinks?” he muttered in disbelief and then shook that away. “Betty! Betty, wake up!” Felix shook the passed out mechanic.

“What? What?” Betty grumbled. “What do you want, kid?”

“Shego took out her suit to fight some berserker Bebe!” Felix reported. “And from what I can tell it’s important for her to a have fully functioning suit!” 

“Why would they do that? I didn’t tell them those suits were ready,” Betty grumbled. He could smell the liquor on her, as if it was infused with her entire being. He wanted to throw up just from the scent.

“Aunt Vivian thought Shego’s suit was ready. You have to do something,” Felix pled, shaking her again with the hope it would rouse her more than she was.

“Not much I can do…” Betty muttered. _It had been like for years now. Not much I can help with when it comes to Vivian_. Her stomach turned at the thought.

“Sure there is! You can call!” Felix rushed over to the computer and tried to turn it on. The desk the computer sat on was cluttered with parts, like Betty took the thing apart and then failed to put it back together.

“It doesn’t work,” the one-eyed woman mumbled.

Felix cursed under his breath and started working as fast as he could to repair the computer. Betty watched him go out of the corner of her eye. _He’s doing that entirely too easy and too quickly_ , she thought. There was something more to him than just being Vivian’s nephew, but she could not remember what might be. _Maybe I never knew_ , she considered. Or maybe she had finally drunk enough. Maybe she would work up the nerve to ask… or maybe she would just drink some more when she got the chance and forget everything, how she failed, who she failed, and who she was.

“Okay, okay, it’s working. Well, at least it’s working enough,” Felix said. “Aunt Vivian!”

“Yes, Felix. Shego just said her arm locked up!” Vivian reported, obviously in a panic herself. “She’s in trouble! Help!”

“Um… Betty, what do we do?” Felix begged to know.

Betty sighed and scratched her forehead, mussing her already messed up brown hair. She turned her attention to the computer and brought up the schematics of the suit. Her brain was hazy thanks to all of the alcohol and she squinted as she studied the blue prints. Felix looked on and realized something.

“If she uses the knuckle-bombs on the joint, it should be enough to restart it,” Felix declared. “Vivian, patch me through to Shego.”

“Done,” Vivian said hastily. 

“Shego, can you move you other arm?” Felix inquired. 

“Yeah,” Shego answered with a growl. She was still trying to move her locked up limb, but obviously, she was not making any progress from the sound of her voice.

“Shego, use the knuckle bombs in your left hand to punch your right elbow. That should fix everything,” Felix informed her.

“You want me to blow myself up?” Shego replied in disbelief. _Insanity has to run in the family,_ she thought. 

“The kid’s right. Use about a quarter of the power in the knuckle-bomb,” Betty chimed in. “Now, don’t expect him to save your ass every time you fuck up.”

“Hey, I didn’t fuck up!” Shego barked.

Shego decided to put off arguing until she was at least out of range from being squashed by a giant, berserker Bebe. She did as Betty said and reduced the power in her left knuckle bombs and then did just what Felix told her to. She punched her right arm just in time before the Moto brought its jaws down. 

Shego rolled out of the way and leaped to her feet. She flexed her right arm, finding that it moved just as it was supposed to. She chuckled darkly.

“Well, I think it’s my turn now,” Shego commented, igniting her fist and running right at the Moto. She leaped at it to take off its head.

The battle was decided in that instance. Shego’s fist went through the Moto’s head with ease thanks to her flames and her knuckle-bombs exploded at full force. The Moto’s head exploded and thus ended its short reign of terror. Shego went to pick up Tara and they were out in a shot, before GJ decided to take actual shots at them.

“Good work, kid,” Shego said, speaking to Felix. 

“Thank you,” Felix replied.

“Good that you cleaned up Betty’s mess, too,” Shego added in. Felix wisely did not say anything to that one. Betty could be heard snorting in the background, though.

-8-8-8-8-

Gemini frowned deeply as his picture went fuzzy thanks to the destruction of the Moto. Two things had once again gone wrong with his plan. The first thing was obvious, which was that he was not able to get his hands on those hard suits. Next was that the Moto went mad just like a Bebe might, but it had taken more time than a normal Bebe would.

“I thought the glitch was in the fact that the Bebes had the ability to learn and act on their own, but that’s obviously not it. Is the flaw in the core itself? Drakken hasn’t been able to pinpoint it, but he claimed it was something in the AI unit that he swore he would be able to repair, which is why I stopped looking for _that_ woman. But, obviously the glitch is somewhere else… or maybe it was just that unit,” Gemini pondered.

There were a number of possibilities as to why that Moto went out of control. He thought it was good thing the Moto went berserk, though, since it was going to go into the hands of GJ now. At least it showed signs of being a berserker robot, so the GJ officers would not get suspicious. 

“Still, I want those suits and I will have them. I might have to sacrifice another Moto for this job,” he figured. Now, he had to think of another plan and factor in the fact that the Moto might go berserk on him just like any other Bebe unit.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Gemini continues to scheme on the Knight Sabers while Kim and Tara hang out. Shego gets a new bike and gets to play chicken on in with a Bebe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Pictures to go with this story by talented artists: [Bubblegum Flavored Shego](http://starvinglunatic.deviantart.com/art/Bubblegum-Flavored-SHEGO-109336939), [Full Metal Tara](http://starvinglunatic.deviantart.com/art/Full-Metal-Tara-102799710) (sketch), [Bubblegum Flavored Shego](http://starvinglunatic.deviantart.com/art/Bubblegum-Flavored-Shego-105870806) (suit), [Bubblegum Flavored Tara](http://starvinglunatic.deviantart.com/art/Bubblegum-Flavored-Tara-108540820), [Shego's New Suit](http://starvinglunatic.deviantart.com/art/Shego-s-new-suit-120553867), [Kim in Shining Armor](http://starvinglunatic.deviantart.com/art/Kim-in-Shining-Armor-113125829) (sketch), [Bubblegum Flavored Shego](http://starvinglunatic.deviantart.com/art/Bubblegum-Flavored-Shego-497530404), and [KP Fan Doodles](http://starvinglunatic.deviantart.com/art/KP-fan-doodles-134666956).


	10. “Speed Demon”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this premise; it belongs to Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The title of this chapter is a song by Michael Jackson. 
> 
> The song that Shego sings in this chapter is called “Remember Me,” by Hoobstank.

 

10: “Speed Demon”

Gemini sat in his office with the lights dimmed, hands folded on his desk. Brooding was becoming his norm. He leaned back in his chair with his typical broken frown on his face. His whole body was tense with frustration. It was like he was ready to explode worse than any active volcano on the planet. 

He could not let this thing with the Knight Sabers go. The more he thought about them, the more he was certain his sister had something to do with them. He knew it was pointless to try to watch her up close. He already pushed his luck with having someone check on her every few weeks. That woman could practically smell surveillance, even while in an alcoholic fog, especially when it came to herself.

“I know she’s in on this and the best thing to do would be to catch the Knight Sabers. They’d tell me. Plus, I’d also have those suits. I’d take the suits apart and then rebuild them. Maybe even sell the armor to combat against the slim chance of a berserker Bebe,” Gemini considered.

The more he thought on the matter, the more things came to him mind as to what he would do once he caught the Knight Sabers. It was becoming an obsession all its own. Making it worse, he had not caught them and he was not sure how he would.

At least he had information. The night the Knight Sabers faced the Bebe that Drakken managed to make go berserk revealed a weakness in them. The Knight Sabers were on a time limit when it came to fighting. He just needed to figure out how to exploit their weaknesses.

His last attempt, using a Moto, seemed like it was ready to work. The only problem was that the Moto managed to go insane and break away from its controller. The Knight Sabers appeared to have some trouble with the controlled Bebe; he was pretty sure the massive size had worked in his favor. He needed a unit that would not freak out for the next attempt. He also needed another advantage.

 _What else should I try for aside for size and timing?_ Gemini wondered. He would think on it until he had the right answer. He would get the Knight Sabers. He would stop whatever his sister was planning. He would have his way, like always.

-8-8-8-8-

Betty crouched over her latest project when she heard that familiar mechanical hum. As the noise got louder, she remained where she was until it stopped. She did not bother to turn around, even though she could feel emerald eyes on her back, burning into her almost as intensely the summer sun.

“Are you done yet?” Shego inquired in a rude tone as she dismounted her bike. Her eyes never left the mechanic’s broad back. Her focus was intent and somehow betraying her tone.

“Doesn’t matter. Like I’d let you touch this considering the way you ride,” Betty replied, still not bothering to look at her uninvited guest.

Shego scoffed. “You don’t know anything about how I ride.” There was a smirk in her tone.

Betty chose to ignore that remark, having a feeling that it was trick. She was saved from losing the little verbal bout as Felix emerged from inside of the garage. He looked a bit surprised to see Shego there, even though it was not the first time that such a little visit had occurred.

“Hey, kid, you keeping this drunk focused?” Shego commented, nodding toward Betty.

Felix balked, unsure how he should respond to that, especially since he was sure Betty was an alcoholic. Someone should actually get her help instead of making fun of her condition. He doubted making that suggestion would go over well, though.

“He’s just getting ready for the next time he has to save your stupid ass from being stupid,” Betty reposted.

“Like hell. I thought Vivian didn’t want him around you, or us,” Shego said.

“She changed her mind after the last incident it seems. Now, he helps babysit you and your little girlfriends,” Betty quipped, a smirk trying to tug at her lips. She kept the expression at bay, though.

“Please, he’s here to obviously keep an eye on you. Viv wants to make sure you don’t drink yourself to death, you lush. She needs you to fix the suits, after all. Well, I’ve got a gig tonight that I need to get ready for. I’ll be back to check on my bike soon enough,” Shego said with a smirk as she mounted her bike again.

Felix watched with a confused look on his face as Shego sped off. He scratched the side of his head and then turned his attention to Betty. He seemed ready to say something, but Betty beat him, too.

“Isn’t it time for you to go back home for lunch?” Betty reminded him.

Felix glanced down to check his wristwatch, just to make sure his new mentor was not trying to be rid of him. “Oh, right. I’ll be back to help you later then,” he replied once he saw the time.

The one-eyed woman nodded. She knew he checked his watch and why, but she did not care about that. She reminded him of the time because he really needed to go. She doubted he knew or understood that completely yet, though.

“Felix…” she said as he prepared to leave. He was going rather slowly, in her opinion anyway. She spoke his name almost as if she was going to say something serious and deep, he noted. 

“Yeah?” he replied, some hope in his voice and a shine in his eyes. He wanted her to give him a task so he could stay. Surely, his aunt would not mind if he had a little extra work and was a little late for lunch. She seemed to like her space, more so than he ever remembered.

“You’re good for Vivian to have around, so make sure you don’t forget about lunch anymore. Spend time with her and remember her.” Her tone as even when she spoke again, as if she was telling him to pass her a tool, so her words did not match. 

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered with a nod. She would not have been surprised if he saluted, but he did not. He stopped taking his dear, sweet time to get ready, though, and that was all she desired. Before he left, he had a question, though. “That bike is for Shego, isn’t it?”

Betty rolled her eye. “She seems to think so.”

“If not her, then who?”

“Don’t you have some place to be?”

Felix smiled a little and then took off to get to his aunt’s for lunch. By the time he arrived, lunch was already on the table. Vivian was waiting, forcing a calm look on her face. She had a newspaper in her grip and clutched it for dear life. It would seem she did not like what she read, or so Felix hoped. He did not want this anger to be directed toward him for being late.

Vivian pulled herself away from the paper as soon as Felix entered the room, which would have been creepy if only she did not smile brightly as soon as she laid eyes on him. It was like his presence melted away any ill feelings she had. He noticed it, so he supposed Betty was right.

“Sorry I’m late,” Felix apologized, trying to quell the guilt rising in his chest. _I should’ve come sooner to make her happy_ , he mentally chided himself.

“It’s fine. You must be working very hard with Betty,” Vivian said, smile still in place. Her voice was even chipper, reminding him of the aunt that he knew so long ago.

“Oh, yeah. She’s making a motorcycle,” Felix reported with enthusiasm that made his eyes shine. He was glad to be a part of the project and that was written all over his face. “I guess she’s making it for Shego, even though she doesn’t want to say. It’s such an incredible machine that I think only Shego would be able to manage it.”

“A motorcycle for Shego?” Vivian tilted her head a little as her eyebrows knitted in close, wrinkling her brow.

“Yeah, I know it’s for Shego, even though Betty hasn’t said so. Shego keeps coming by to check on it, though. You know, they’re funny to be around. They really pretend to hate each other, but Betty talks more when Shego comes around than any other time. They say such awful things to each other, but I think they mean the opposite of what they say…” Felix was going to go on, but he noticed his aunt was shaking.

“That’s… fine…” Vivian forced the words out of her mouth through gritted teeth. She trembled, holding her eating utensils as if she was threatening to snap them in half. Her eyes seemed to burn with a fury that he did not even know she was capable of.

“Umm…” Felix searched his mind for something that would calm down his aunt. He was supposed to help, after all. That was the reason he broke his promise to her about staying away was because he wanted to help. “Betty’s really an incredible woman. I’m learning a lot from her. Maybe one day you’ll show me some stuff, too…” he said hopefully, flashing her a begging, charming smile. Hoping not only for his words to be true, but also for her to stop shaking.

“Maybe…” she mumbled, trying to rid her mind of images of Shego and Betty.

She glared down at the table now instead of looking at him, so he knew he had not succeeded in easing her nerves. He wondered what was bothering her all of a sudden. She seemed so happy when he came in. What were with her mood swings? He did not know, but he would keep trying because he did want to help.

“I can’t wait to see the motorcycle in action. We should be done with it soon. I hope you’ll come see it,” Felix said, but there was not much conversation left in his aunt.

Vivian was stuck, thinking about Shego and Betty. Felix sighed and stared down at his food with a pout. He would have to do better than he was if he wanted to pull his weight around the place.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego had to go home before doing anything else. She parked her bike right outside her trailer and went inside. She had to kick some junk out of her way as she entered the living space. She was surprised hearing a beeping noise and it was coming from her computer. She went to go see what that was all about.

She checked her email when she noticed that she actually had something in the inbox; the beep was to alert her when a new message came in. It was an email from Tara and as soon as she opened a mini-version of Tara appeared on screen. Whenever someone got an email from Tara, her Internet avatar delivered the message and it was just as annoying as receiving a message from Tara herself as far as Shego was concerned.

“I really wish voice mail hadn’t been replaced by this crap,” Shego grumbled.

“Hey, Shego. Kim and I are having a sleepover tonight to celebrate the fact that we’re alive and that the suits are finally finished. Kim was hoping you’d come over. She wants to see you and I wouldn’t mind if you showed up. We can all do something aside from running around in the suits together. So, hope you stop by and bring snacks!” The avatar had the nerve to grin.

The singer chuckled and shook her head a little, apparently disapproving of them even from a distance. She knew those two were up to something and she was pretty sure she did not want to be a part of it. She did not leave the message unanswered, though. She typed something back and then went to retrieve a small jewelry case. She pocketed the case and checked her watch before handing out again.

“I should be able to stop there if I hurry,” Shego told herself as she mounted her bike and peeled off from her home without bothering to even shut the door. It was rare she did, woe to the idiot who went in her home without her permission.

The biker raced down the highway, going well beyond the speed limit. Her hair seemed to rage behind her, sticking out of her helmet quite a bit and lashing angrily in the wind. She looked a bit like a black and green comet as she sped toward her destination.

She failed to notice she passed a police vehicle and it would not have been of any consequence if only Barkin was not the one driving. Ron smirked and shook his head as Barkin started flashing the lights, chasing after the speeding biker. Ron fastened his seatbelt while Rufus buttoned up the pocket he was in.

“Gonna run people over and kill a few pedestrians for love,” Ron muttered to himself with wide, almost frightened eyes, which were helped by the fact that he did not know that the car could go as fast as it was at that moment. He was not too in favor of dying for love, especially love that was not even his.

Barkin was not paying Ron any attention. His eyes were focused on Shego, catching her. The determination in his heart amazed even him, but for some reason, he just needed to see her again. He needed to talk to her again.

Barkin could not believe how hard he had to push the car just to keep up with the speeding biker. He was not surprised she did not pull over. He was stunned when she halted out of the blue and pulled over to a cliff that overlooked much of the city. The place was set up as a sort of resting area for people; it was not big enough to be considered a park, even though it had a patch of lush green grass.

Shego dismounted her ride, leaving it parked on the street. She walked over to the grass and turned to look over the cliff. She stared out into the setting sun and saw a few lights glimmering in the distance from the buildings, reaching out as far as her eyes could see. A peaceful look conquered her face and her soul, but she knew that was not going to last long, so she savored it while it was there.

 _I can see why you liked this place so much, bro. I hope you check out the show. Bring the folks._ Shego thought before her moment was interrupted by one of the last people she ever wanted to see.

“Hey, I know what you’re thinking,” Barkin said as he approached the biker.

“I doubt it. If you wanted to be a mind reader, why don’t you go buy a crystal ball?” Shego spat, not bothering to turn to face him. She scowled deeply, his presence bringing her whole mood down and ripping at her intestines. It was like he poisoned her, and the air around her. _They do that, but especially here, in this place_.

“You’re still pretty rude,” he noted, even though that observation did not stop him from standing directly behind her.

“You’re still pretty desperate, chasing me down with your lights on. I mean, I didn’t know GJ got demoted to writing speeding tickets now,” she quipped, cruel smirk in place as she turned to look at him, mostly because she going back to her bike.

A frown cut across his face. “We haven’t been demoted.” She was more than rude, she had a nasty bite to her, but that did not quell his desire to get to know her.

“If the whole department is as stupid as you, I don’t see why you’re even a police force. You should all be put in a cage in the zoo, so some old lady can throw peanuts at you and kids can poke you with sticks. Get this through your thick fucking skull: I don’t want to know you. I don’t want to date you. I don’t want to fuck you. Do me a favor and get hit by a bus. I hate all you fucking cops,” Shego stated soundly, plainly, figuring that would get him out of her hair.

She then mounted her bike and sped off, going to the Bermuda Triangle to do a gig. She wanted to banish that bastard from her soul. Once she was on stage, she knew she would feel loads better.

Of course, she was right. Getting on stage and singing while her brothers rocked out on their instruments always calmed her soul. She could only think of one other thing that came close to it and it was really no comparison. Sure, fighting with crazy Bebes was a great way to channel her rage, but singing eased her pain and soothed her soul. Nothing else was capable of that, she was sure of it. Well, almost sure of it.

She did not want to think too much on what else might have started to put her at ease. After all, the team itself used to annoy the hell out of her. Vivian had deep-seeded issues and Tara was annoyingly incompetent when it came to combat. But, they were almost tolerable now for some reason she did not try to figure out since she was supposed to be concentrating on singing.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim and Tara settled into Tara’s apartment for their sleepover. Tara’s house was somehow exactly as Kim expected it, but also nothing like the redhead expected. Tara’s whole apartment was full of computer parts, which was not surprising considering her specialty, but the parts were everywhere. Tara’s house looked like a tornado ripped through it and dropped a computer supply store in the living room. There went her image of a tidy Tara.

They put their snacks down in the small dining room, which was open and right next to the living room. After that, they went into the living room and Kim put down her sleeping bag. Tara needed to linen closet for her sleeping bag and something caught her eye on the way.

“Hey, Shego emailed me back,” Tara said as she noticed the flashing on her computer. She crawled over to the screen, having to be careful or she would end up injured. She opened it and began to read. “She says she’s not going to come, but if we want to see her, she’s playing the Bermuda Triangle tonight. She said to be sure to pay and not try to sneak in and that we shouldn’t have any alcohol since we’re underage.”

Kim chuckled. “That sounds just like her.”

“Yeah. I knew she wouldn’t come. She doesn’t really like being around people. I mean, I’ve invited her plenty of places, but she never comes.”

“Maybe she’s busy with a boyfriend,” Kim remarked and that got a big laugh out of Tara. Kim was confused for a moment. “You make it sound like it’s impossible for her to have a boyfriend. Are you trying to say she’s… _that_ way?” Kim asked. She remembered Shego’s band mate commenting on how she had a lot of female fans.

Tara blinked hard, twice. “That way?” she echoed. It was clear when she got it because the realization spread all across her face, widening her eyes. She then burst into a fit of giggles. “I don’t think she’s _that_ way, but I really don’t know. I think she had a boyfriend once. Supposedly, he’s the one she writes all her songs for.”

With a nod, Kim squinted a little. “What happened to him?”

“I think he died. It’s all rumors, so I’m not sure. I just know she lost someone special because I felt brave one day and asked her and she glared at me so hard I thought I was gonna die on the spot,” Tara answered, rubbing the back of her neck.

Kim was taken aback by that response and decided against asking more questions for the moment. She realized how little she knew about the woman she promised she would be just as good as on the team. She also realized she did not like it much. _I’m going to change that._

Tara finally finished out her sleeping bag and set it up while Kim went to change into her pajamas. They both settled in the living room when everything was right and started to pig out on ice cream and make small talk. They hit a little lull after a few minutes. It was then Kim decided to ask some more about the people she worked with, Shego in particular.

“Do you know why Vivian started the Knight Sabers?” Kim asked.

Tara made a noise, a spoon hanging from her mouth. “I don’t know really. She never really talks about it. I just know she’s keeping a close eye on Bebe production from the Gemini Corporation. Sometimes, she talks about how she doesn’t get why they keep making more Bebes, especially since things around the city have been repaired.”

“Repaired?” Kim echoed.

“Yeah, Bebes were originally supplied to fix the city after the horrible earthquake years ago. After everything was repaired, though, Bebes just kept being made because they could be used for different purposes… I guess anyway. As dangerous as they are, you’d think someone would figure they should slow production and try to fix whatever glitch is in the things that make them go insane.”

Kim nodded in agreement. “Seems like it would be the smart thing to do. Well, do you know why Shego joined the team?”

Tara laughed. “I assumed because of the money and she likes to hit stuff.”

“That’s actually what she told me. You know, sometimes, she seems really sad to me and she’s trying to keep people out…” Kim felt an embarrassed blush burn her cheeks. Every now and then, she could see a pain in Shego’s emerald eyes that she doubted she could understand, but she would not mind trying to help.

“Well, I agree she’s trying to keep people out. She’s such a meanie. I mean, like she always calls us kids, but she’s not even that much older than we are.”

“No?” Kim had never really thought about their age difference.

“No! She’s like twenty-two or something like that! She just tries to act older, but she’s not.”

“How does she do that flaming fist thing? Is that just something her suit can do?” Kim asked. She had wondered about that, but had a feeling Shego would not tell her about it.

Tara scratched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know how she does it, but it’s all her. It’s not her suit or anything. I think she can actually set her hands on fire… or whatever that it. I mean, the way it goes through stuff, it had to be something other than fire.”

“The way it behaves, I don’t think it’s fire.” Kim was not sure what it was, though.

They spoke for a while with the main topic of conversation was Shego, even though neither teen knew much about her. They settled down for sleep after eating enough junk food to give the average person a stomachache, but the sleep did not last for long. A loud beep echoed through the room.

Tara, knowing what the beep was, started to reach for her phone. She groped the messy floor, trying her best not to lift her head. In the end, she lost the struggle and had to look up to find the thing.

“Yeah, Vivian?” Tara asked.

“I’m going to be downstairs in a minute, so get up. We’ve got a berserker Bebe that fused with about a dozen supped up cars and is ripping down the highway,” Vivian informed the Knight Saber. 

“Fine. Kim’s here, too,” Tara replied, so she would not think they had to whip over to Kim’s apartment as well.

“Then get your butts down here!” Vivian commanded, causing Tara to yelp loudly, which woke Kim up.

-8-8-8-8-

The berserker Bebe charged down the road like a rocket from Hell, already violently shoving vehicles out of its way. The roads were quickly cleared and the GJ police were in pursuit to take down the insane robot. Barkin and Ron were among those chasing and they were able to pull up right behind the Bebe before it was off like a shot.

“The hell? Like hell I’m going to let anything out race me!” Barkin roared, pushing his car to catch up to the Bebe, which barely resembled the original robot that it was.

The Bebe had the speed of a sports’ car. The design of it had bent to resemble something like a bullet train mixed with an automobile. Up top, there was the Bebe’s head and torso, which had morphed into something like a demon’s head, complete with horns.

Ron quickly fastened his seatbelt again. “This job is going to be the death of me,” he muttered to himself. Rufus curled up in his pocket after making sure it was buttoned shut.

Barkin was determined to catch the Bebe, but it did not seem to be possible. Every time he pulled up close enough to see it, it would shoot off. And then suddenly, a pink blur passed the car on one side while a white-blue streak passed him on the other.

“Is that the Knight Sabers?” Barkin snarled as he strained his eyes to see what was going on way up ahead of them.

“I think it was the Knight Sabers,” Ron remarked. _It was either them or small jets_.

Kim and Tara had passed them, running at quite the clip in their hard suits. They rushed the Bebe, both of them firing needle-like projectiles at the head. The Bebe roared, sharp, metallic teeth on display. The rogue bot then jerked to the side, banging into Tara’s legs. Tara yelped as she went down, tumbling hard on the pavement.

“Tara!” Kim called, getting nothing more than rolling yelps as her response.

“Kim, get that Bebe!” Vivian ordered harshly. If Tara could holler, then she was obviously all right.

“Fine,” Kim replied and she jumped to avoid having her legs taken out underneath her like Tara had.

Kim pulled her fist back, planning to clock the Bebe with her knuckle bombs. The berserker acted first, slowing down slightly, so Kim missed her mark. It then sped up and actually ran Kim down as she landed. Kim was clipped under the knees and plummeted off to the side of the cleared highway, stumbling like a falling rock. 

“Damn it. Vivian, it’s moving too fast!” Kim groaned. She was not really injured, but she was going to need to sit there for a second while her head finishing spinning. Her ego was really bruised, too.

“Where’s Shego to help?” Tara inquired as she ran by, grabbing Kim up to her feet. The pair raced off after the Bebe again.

“She’s not answering her damn phone,” Vivian huffed.

“Aunt Vivian, Shego’s on her way! She stopped by to pick up something that’ll be necessary to take on this particular Bebe,” Felix reported, contacting his aunt from Betty’s garage.

“Picking something up? Now is not the time for shopping,” Vivian huffed.

“Yeah, so come by with the mobile Pit, so Shego can get her suit. She’s going to need it,” Felix said and there was excitement in his voice. He was bouncing in his seat; his aunt could picture him doing it in her head due to the sound of his voice.

Vivian wondered what was going on, but she made the quick trip to the garage. She picked Shego up and was able to see what her nephew meant, which explained his excitement. They then took off toward the insane Bebe, who Kim and Tara were still pursuing.

“So, what took you so long?” Vivian asked, speaking to Shego.

“Some of us can’t just walk away from what we’re doing to go chasing ghosts,” Shego answered.

“Don’t you chase ghosts all the time?” Vivian pointed out.

“Touché,” Shego admitted, dropping the visor of her hard suit.

“Kim, Tara, disengage the chase,” Vivian ordered.

“What?” both teens asked.

“Get out of the way. Shego’s about to ram the thing,” Vivian told them.

“Ram it?” Tara and Kim echoed, wondering what the hell Vivian was going on about. They backed off of the Bebe, though. It was kicking their asses anyway.

Shego counted off a beat in her head as Vivian opened the side of the mobile Pit. Shego was suited up and on Betty’s latest creation, a bike designed for her to use with her hard suit. Its colors matched her suit perfectly and had the same design as the suit. It was obviously made just for her, despite Betty insisting otherwise. It was much larger than her street bike, but made in a similar style. She was certain she could control the bike, especially since it was linked with her suit. As soon as Shego was done with count, she hit the controls to unlock the bike from the harness and hit the streets.

“Okay, Shego, the bike is called the Motoslave,” Felix reported. “It works just like your hard suit, corresponding to your movements and thoughts. At extreme times, it can morph to suit your needs in a given situation.”

“I have no clue what you just said, but if it’s a bike, I can ride the shit out of this thing!” Shego declared, popping a wheelie. It felt like she was riding a comet, a comet she had tamed.

“Should we trust her on it?” Felix wondered aloud.

“You already gave it to her,” Vivian pointed out.

“Ready or not, here I come!” Shego called, burning rubber down the empty road toward her target. _GJ must’ve cleared the streets. Wow, so they can do something right_. She had to dodge some debris and avoid newly created potholes, but she pressed on.

As soon as the killer Bebe-on-wheels came into view, Shego charged her hands, plasma swirling around her fists, waiting for action. She locked onto the robot, which was coming toward her at its top speed. She smirked like a demon getting ready to send someone to Hell.

“Looks like it’s time for a game of chicken. I hope you don’t give up!” Shego shouted to the insane Bebe.

The Bebe did not back down and Shego pushed the Motoslave even harder, reaching a speed she never thought possible. When the two forces impacted each other, there was a large explosion and the area was covered in smoke. Two figures emerged from the mayhem, blazing off in opposite directions. Shego turned the bike around, using her suit sensors to see through the smoke. She caught sight of the Bebe and the massive hole that she had blown in its chest, as well as taking its arm completely off.

“Maybe he needs a little bit more of the same,” Shego considered and then the Bebe suddenly exploded, little bits of it flying out all of the road. “I guess fusing with cars full of gas wasn’t the best idea a crazy Bebe has ever had.” She chuckled.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego was not sure why, but after all of the excitement of chasing down the speeding Bebe and getting to ride that awesome bike, she went back to the Bermuda Triangle. It was empty, not that she expected anyone to be around. Her footsteps echoed through the place and she felt like each noise turned on a thought in her mind.

She wandered onto the stage, plagued by what Vivian said. She was always chasing ghosts and probably would never catch them, no matter what she did. Even now, standing there, she sought a ghost and she doubted she would ever stop. The running around made her believe that one day she would be able to fill the void, the silence, that always seemed like it might swallow her whole.

“I stand here face to face/ with someone that I used to know/ He used to look at me and laugh/ but now he claims that he’s known me for so very long/ but I remember being no one,” Shego sang in a low, sorrowful tone and then was shocked to hear light clapping.

The biker looked out into what was supposed to be an empty audience. At a table in the back sat Kim, Tara, and Felix and they applauded her. When they were noticed, they showed their ages and started hooping and hollering. Shego laughed a little and shook her head.

“C’mon! You invited us to your show, so perform!” Kim clapped louder.

Shego laughed again. She took a moment to take a deep breath. She did a count in her head and then started up again. “I wanted to be just like you, so perfect, so untouchable/ Now you want me to be with you/ Someone who used to have it all/ Do you remember how you acted like you never noticed me?”

As Shego continued on and her audience of three cheered her on, they failed to notice an extra person in the corner. Barkin stood in the shadowed doorway. He had a feeling Shego would be playing the Triangle, as her band was at the club a lot, and he had plans to see her, until that menacing Bebe showed up. He was glad she was still there and apparently giving a private show.

“Did you know me?/ Or were you too preoccupied with playing king in your small kingdom/ And now the real world has stripped you of your royalty/ And from your kingdom you’re evicted/ I wanted to be just like you…”

After that one song, Shego hopped off the stage while her teenage audience acted as if she had just given the best performance ever in recorded history. She forced a frown on her face and scolded them for acting silly, not to mention breaking into the nightclub. They laughed.

“Let’s get out of here,” Shego suggested, unable to keep the smile off of her face.

The teens agreed and started for the door. Barkin was gone by the time they went to the door. Kim walked next to Shego while Tara and Felix fell behind to have an argument over the best computer products.

“You sing well,” Kim commented.

Shego shrugged. “That song wasn’t really good for the way I was singing it.”

“What’s the song about anyway? You write your own stuff, right?”

Shego nodded. She was silent for a moment and it seemed as if she was not going to respond. She then answered, as if it was something normal, “It’s about my older brother. He died a couple of years ago.” 

“I’m sorry,” Kim said.

“Don’t be. He was an ass,” Shego replied and then she hurried off to her bike. Apparently she did not want to talk about it anymore.

Kim watched the fleeing biker. She nodded; she knew there was more to Shego than the bitch that she portrayed. She wondered how deep Shego’s emotional scarring went and, true to her style, she planned on finding out.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Barkin realizes Tara knows Shego, and asks her about the singer. Also, Drakken is very interested in the fact that Bebes are disappearing from a particular area.


	11. “Centipede”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept; it comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> This chapter title is a song by Rebbie Jackson.

 

11: “Centipede”

“Tara,” Vivian spoke into her phone. Tara had taken the call, even though she was at work. 

“Yeah?” Tara answered. She stuffed a couple of potato chips in her mouth, stuck at her station and bored out of her mind, which was why she had happily taken Vivian’s call.

“There have been some strange occurrences I’m looking into. Since you’re better at this than I am, I figured I’d put you on the case, too. It looks like a number of Bebes disappearing from a certain area. I want to find out how much information Gemini Corporation has on this,” Vivian explained. She had a bad feeling about all of the disappearances and anxiety bubbled in her system already.

“I’m on it!” Tara declared with a giddy smile. She was more than happy to have something to do with her life.

Tara worked her electronic magic to find out more about these disappearing Bebes. She had heard something about that at work that day, but she had not paid it too much mind. She guessed she should have done more eavesdropping now, but it was too late for that. _Time to do some snooping around the Gemini server_ , she thought with a smile. This was her favorite part of being a Knight Saber since it was where she proved more useful than anyone else.

Tara got into her “work” and did not notice someone sneaking up behind her until he spoke. “Hey, Tara, isn’t it wrong to be using the work computer for personal reasons?” Barkin inquired in a somewhat stern tone.

Tara yelped from surprise, jumped in her seat, and quickly disregarded what she was doing to make it look like she was playing computer games. She then turned her attention to her uninvited visitor to see him glaring down at her. She stuck her tongue out at him.

“What do you want, Stevey-poo?” she asked. She knew that would get that holier-than-thou look right out of his eyes.

Barkin balked, looking as if she pulled a gun on him. “I told you not to call me that!” he growled.

“You tell me a lot of things. Besides, it’s a cute name, Stevey-poo!” Tara cooed, batting her eyes at him.

Barkin snorted and turned his nose up at the impish blond. With a huff, he folded his arms across his chest, as if that bothered her. She really just wanted to laugh, but held back as much as she could, giggling through her nose at him. She wondered if he had any clue how ridiculous it looked for a man his size to throw a tantrum over a nickname.

“What do you want, anyway?” Tara asked. Barkin only came around when he wanted something. At least Ron had the decency to say hello to her in the hallway, and he did not make it a point to scold her every time he saw her like Barkin did.

“Um… I was just wondering how often you go to the Bermuda Triangle after hours,” Barkin said.

Tara looked confused for a moment and then started laughing. “You know, I thought I saw you standing in the corner, but I thought that was stupid. What were you doing there after hours?” She arched an eyebrow.

Barkin sputtered and then blushed. “Uh… I was invited.”

Tara appeared taken back by that, making a curious noise. “Invited? Shego invited you to that show?” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah,” he replied soundly, noting she called the singer by name.

 _Wow, Shego knows a guy and invited him to her show. I was starting to wonder about her after Kim brought it up, but I guess I’m wrong about that. Oh, this is great!_ A demonic smile curled onto her face. She clapped her hands together and rubbed her palms against each other.

“Do you know Shego?” he asked, trying his best to remain cool. An awkward, almost smile settled onto his rugged features.

“Oh… I dunno. Do you count having her phone number and main email as knowing her?” she teased with a look so innocent on her face that it would not be a surprise if a halo appeared over her head.

“Really?” he asked quite eagerly with delight in his brown eyes. So much for keeping his cool. His face was even more eager than his words.

“I don’t know if I can give it to you or not, though. I mean, if Shego wanted you to have them, wouldn’t she give them to you herself?” Tara pointed out. She could imagine just how badly Shego would kill her and mutilate her body if she gave out personal information without the biker’s permission. “But, that doesn’t mean I can’t put in a good word for you,” she added and then her demonic smile returned. “If you’re nice to me anyway.”

Barkin frowned, wondering what gods hated him and why. He marched off without replying and Tara laughed. She had to tell someone about that. She tried calling Kim, but found out Kim had already left her desk for lunch.

“Aw, man! C’mon, this is too good!” Tara whined, wishing time would go faster, so Kim would be back. She did not want to interrupt Kim’s lunch, knowing how rigid her job was.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim and Monique sat in a diner, having lunch. They tended to stay at the restaurants that they got their food from now because Monique did not want to deal with Kim chasing down another biker and almost getting killed. They were in the middle of a conversation while eating sandwiches.

“Did you hear about all the missing Bebes?” Monique asked. She thought this topic of conversation would be right up Kim’s alley since she thought Kim was a bit of a conspiracy theorist. That was brought on mostly by Kim’s belief in the Knight Sabers.

“I heard a little bit about it,” Kim admitted. She knew it was something Vivian was looking into, but nothing beyond that really.

“Yeah, well, they’re all disappearing around the same area. I know it’s all happening in like the same neighborhood.” Monique took a bit of her spicy, barbecue chicken.

Kim ticked an eyebrow up briefly. “And you don’t think it’s weird that they haven’t reported that in the news?”

Monique shook her head, not disagreeing, just amused. “I knew you were going to say something like that. There are bigger things happening in the city than some missing Bebes.”

With a shrug, Kim bit into her turkey on rye and then leaned back on the hard, burgundy seat cushion. “If you say so, but you figure someone would want to know what’s going on with all of them. Are they being stolen? If so, why? Besides, what if those Bebes are going crazy somewhere? Then people would be in danger and the news should let people know about that.”

“If it was dangerous, it would be on the news. Obviously, it’s not dangerous if they’re not reporting on it. You worry too much, Kim.”

Kim let out a breath and shook her head. “I don’t know about that. I think you’re just a little too trusting.”

Monique ate a little more of her sandwich and glanced around the somewhat busy diner. “I don’t think there’s a boogeyman around every corner if that’s what you mean. Kim, you really need to grow out of this whole thing. I mean, you still believe in the Knight Sabers.”

Kim rolled her eyes, not even bothering to dignify that one. Monique thought she might have accidentally crossed the line, so she thought about steering the conversation in another direction. She knew just what to bring up.

“So, did that biker ever give you money for your lunch?” Monique asked with quite the teasing smile and joking glint in her chocolate eyes.

Olive eyes went wide. “You know, I never did get it.” All of that interacting with Shego and she still owed Kim for lunch. She would have to remember to bug Shego about that. “I’m not going to let it go, though.”

“You know what, you are so crazy.” A fond smile worked its way onto Monique’s face and a friendly laugh escaped her.

Kim smiled, taking that as a compliment, which was actually how it was meant. Monique would not have Kim any other way. She checked her watch.

“We better get back to work. We wouldn’t want you to be late, after all,” Monique pointed out.

“Oh, yeah, after those errors in my paperwork and the floor Bebe chewing me out for the umpteenth time, I’m shocked I still have a job,” Kim remarked with a good-natured smile. She spoke the truth, though.

“They do ride you hard at work,” Monique noted. It was not just the floor Bebe, but their human bosses did not seem to take the very affable Kim. Monique did not know how it was possible for anyone to treat Kim in such an obviously disrespectful manner.

Kim only smiled more. She had a feeling her treatment stemmed partially from having the last name Possible. The Gemini Corporation had not been too happy when Kim’s father declined to work on their space project, and he warned Kim when she left to work there that they might not treat her well. She felt she would be able to endure the torture since it was not too terrible. She had other things to do in Mega-Go City, after all.

“As long as they pay for my college, they can ride me all they want. It doesn’t faze me,” Kim said.

Monique smiled. “I never thought it would.”

They returned to work where Monique was allowed to go back to her desk while the floor Bebe had some words for Kim about her workstation. Apparently, she had one too many pictures on her desk, which got her a demerit. Kim had long ago lost count of how many demerits she had, but she was pretty sure she had to be approaching the world record by now. It was a good thing there was minimum amount they had to pay workers or Kim would be working for free by now thanks to her demerits. She was probably never going to get a promotion thanks to the demerits, but again, she just needed the company to pay for college. Nothing more.

Kim sighed and sat down at her desk. She made sure to put away all of her pictures, just in case it turned out that three was actually too many. She then turned her computer back on and saw she had missed a video message from Tara. She decided to call back and see what Tara wanted from her.

“Hey, Kim!” Tara greeted her with a bright smile.

“Hey, you called me earlier?” Kim asked.

“Yeah, I did! Get this, Shego invited one of my coworkers to her show the last night! I think he likes her. I might try to hook them up,” Tara reported.

Kim blanched at the suggestion. For some reason, her body had a horrible reaction to the news, feeling as if everything inside of her settled into her stomach and flipped around for a few moments. She was rendered silent for a couple of seconds, but Tara waited patiently, hoping to hear how brilliant her plan was. Kim managed to compose herself and come up a plausible explanation as to why that was not such a great plan.

“Uh… Tara, are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, he’s a GJ officer. Not only does Shego hate them, but Vivian would flip if you tried this,” Kim reasoned.

“Yeah, but Steve’s decent guy,” Tara argued with a frown. She thought Kim would be all for this plan.

“He could be the greatest guy on Earth, but he’s still a GJ officer. They tried to kill us.” Not the best way to start a relationship off.

“But, Steve wasn’t on duty at the time,” Tara pointed out.

Kim just sighed. She was not sure what to say to talk Tara out of what she knew was a very bad idea. Besides, she did not want Tara to hook Shego up with someone. She was not sure why, though. She just knew the thought of Shego with a boyfriend made her feel nauseous. After a couple of minutes, Kim had to get to work, so she hung up and sighed again.

“Why’d I feel like that just because she said she wanted to hook Shego up?” Kim wondered, but she did not have an answer for herself.

After work, Kim found herself going to see Shego. The biker was at rehearsal and she noticed Kim through the small window in the rehearsal room. The redhead waved slightly to the band; none of the guys had the free hand to wave back and their sister did not bother. Eventually, Shego called for a break and went out to meet Kim.

“Everything okay?” Shego asked, propping herself up against a wall, looking like the cool, indifferent biker she was.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Kim answered.

“Any reason you’re here? I mean, it’s not like this place is on the way to your house,” Shego remarked. She and her brothers did all of their work in the Devil’s Playground, a wild district of Go City, and it was out of the way of where Kim lived in her apartment provided by the Gemini Corporation.

“I can’t just pop up and want to see you?” Kim countered as if she was offended that her being there was being questioned.

A small, teasing smirk appeared on Shego’s dark lips. “Every time you pop up, trouble pops up with you.”

Kim scoffed. “I blame you. You rubbed your bad luck on me when you almost mowed me down that day.”

“You don’t know if that was me or not.”

“It was just someone with your exact bike, leathers, and helmet, right?” Kim rolled her eyes and a smirk formed on her face.

Shego smiled a bit, not meaning to. She also did not realize she was smiling. Kim, of course, noticed, but she decided against saying anything about it.

“I was wondering if I could ask you a question,” Kim said.

“Shoot,” the biker replied with a shrug.

“Why do you hate the GJ police force so much?” There was something there, way beyond the fact that GJ made their jobs so much harder. It was almost personal.

Shego turned her eyes up at the ceiling. “They’re assholes. They think those badges give them a right to do whatever the hell they want. They go in with their guns blazing recklessly and stupidly. I mean, you saw how they treated us.”

Kim nodded. “That’s true.”

“I’m not in favor of monkeys having big guns. They don’t know how to act.”

“Sorry if I upset you with the question,” Kim apologized.

Shego scoffed and cut her eyes to the shorter girl. She shook her head, but did not say anything for a few seconds. Standing up straight, Shego smiled a bit again. She caught herself that time, though. She knew she needed to say something to keep her from smiling at Kim again.

“You know, I should get back to practice and you should get home before it’s dark. Wouldn’t want something to happen to you around here, Princess,” Shego taunted her with a flash cruel delight in her emerald eyes.

Kim scowled. “Are you saying I can’t take care of myself?” There was a challenging glint in her eye, but her body was tense, obviously offended.

“I haven’t noticed any proof yet,” Shego remarked before she went back to her brothers. She made sure to grin widely and wickedly at Kim through the window.

Kim laughed a bit and shook her head. _Shego’s one strange woman_ , she thought, but it was a good kind of strange. She wondered how Shego would react when she found out Tara was going to try to play matchmaker with her and some GJ officer. She doubted it would be a good reaction and she hoped Tara dropped the idea before someone — possibly Tara, but definitely that GJ agent — got hurt.

“Wow, sis, looks like you really got a fan,” Mego commented from his place behind the drums.

Shego glared at him. “Shut up. It’s none of your business.”

“No? I don’t think you’ve ever called a break just because someone wanted to talk to you. In fact, it’s rare someone comes in here that you actually want to talk to!” Mego pointed out with a taunting smile.

“Don’t forget that girl is totally hot,” the Wego on bass commented.

“And she’s come to see Shego more than once,” the Wego on guitar chimed in.

Mego snapped his finger. “Sis has a girlfriend!”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Shego roared.

“No, she’s just the only person who comes to visit you to talk about nothing in particular,” the bass player said.

“And let’s not forget, you doesn’t yell at her or curse her out or say you don’t want to see her. Instead, you call a break to go have a conversation,” the guitar player added on. 

“So, when’s the wedding?” Mego inquired and the brothers all grinned.

“You know what? Shut up, the lot of you. Let’s get back to practicing,” Shego ordered. Her brothers complied, but they laughed for almost five minutes while doing so.

-8-8-8-8-

“Hey, Tara, what’re you doing here?” Felix asked as he entered one of the rooms in Vivian’s house. 

“Vivian has me looking into this disappearing Bebe thing,” Tara answered. She looked slightly frustrated with her brow furrowed and her mouth tight. She leaned forward into the computer screen with a small frown marring her features. Her stomach grumbled.

“Oh. You okay?” Felix inquired because of her expression.

“I can’t… finish my fries and do this at the same time!” Tara whined in frustration. She needed both of her hands and all of her attention. After all, if she made one slip up, things could be traced to them and that would not end well. Added to that, she was so hungry and her food was just a few inches away.

Felix glanced over at the junk food and moved himself over to them. “If you show me how to do that, I’ll help you with the fries,” he proposed.

“Deal!”

Felix grabbed the fries and started feeding them to Tara one by one. Tara’s expression lifted, now able to finish her food and continue on with the job given to her. Felix watched her carefully, taking in everything she did. Neither of them thought anything of Felix hand-feeding her.

“I don’t get why Vivian is making me do this. She could do it just as easily,” Tara muttered with a mouthful of salty fries. Her stomach was thankful for the substance, having gone ignored since Vivian’s earlier demand.

“I think she is. I was just with her before I came in here. She seems restless ever since she started looking into this disappearing Bebe thing. I think she has you doing it just in case she misses something,” he explained. 

Tara nodded. “Vivian’s really obsessive sometimes,” she commented and then she realized she was talking about his aunt. Glancing at him, she laughed nervously. “Um! I mean, she really gets into her work!”

Felix shook his head. “No, you’re right. I told her about it, but she laughs it off and says it’s not how I think it is.”

“Hey, how’s the search going?” Vivian inquired as she entered the room and halted the teens’ conversation about her for the moment.

“Well, I haven’t found anything new. It’s just weird that it’s all happening in that one general area and most of the Bebes have been workers in the underground, but other than that, it’s nothing too big. I haven’t found anything really weird going on at Gemini Corporation, except they’re looking into it, too, which makes sense. It doesn’t seem like they’re looking into as much as I would think they would, but they could just be trying to keep it very quiet. Do you know anything else about it?” Tara replied.

Vivian shook her head while putting a hand to her chin in thought. “There haven’t been any reports on attacks on humans, so the Bebes aren’t going insane. What could be going on?” She rubbed her forehead, trying to put the pieces together.

“Should I keep looking?” Tara asked and she hoped to whatever divine being might exist that Vivian let her go.

“No, that’s fine for now. I’ll look into from here. I know there’s something,” Vivian said.

“Kim said what if the Bebes are actually being stolen.” Tara figured Vivian should consider this possible. “Maybe a company is stealing Bebes to unlock their tech and get in on the Gemini monopoly?”

Vivian scratched her chin. “It’s possible.” Of course, she doubted that was going on. No, this was something deeper. “I’ll check any and all leads. It’s just best we figure out what’s happening with the Bebes before one does go insane. Who knows where it might happen or what damage it might cause.”

“That’s true.”

“But, again, you can go. I’ll handle it for now.”

“Okay, I guess I can work on my other master plan!” A bright grin sparkled on Tara’s face.

“Other master plan?” Vivian raised an eyebrow. She was almost scared to hear the answer. Tara was way too enthused, and when Tara was way too enthused, very bad things tended to happen.

“I’m going to hook Shego up with my coworker!” Tara replied without thinking. She just wanted everyone to hear her brilliant idea!

“Tara, you are way too smart for you to have said what I just thought you said. I must be tried and overworked because I know you didn’t just say that you were going to try to hook Shego up with one of your GJ coworkers!” Vivian roared in disbelief.

Tara let out a scared yelp and jumped in her chair. Felix was shocked, too, and jumped. Vivian glared at Tara as if the teen had twelve heads, which caused Tara to gulp. Felix gulped as well. He had never seen his aunt look such a way before. Tara knew that Vivian was prone to mood swings, but she did not want to experience just how badly this one would be. 

“He’s a good guy, though…” Tara said in her own defense.

“He works for GJ! They just tried to kill us not too long ago!” Vivian’s eyes seemed to catch fire.

“Aunt Vivian, calm down. See, this is why I said you’re getting restless and everything. You’re way too upset over this. Take a breath,” Felix requested in a calm manner.

Vivian looked like she was still ready to explode, but seemed to think better of it. She blinked and took a deep breath. Putting her hand to her head, she gently caressed her forehead as if trying to sooth away a headache.

“Tara, you have to understand it wouldn’t be in the team’s best interest if Shego was to date your coworker. Please get that silly idea out of your head,” Vivian said in a composed tone.

“Besides, I don’t think that’s where Shego’s taste lies,” Felix whispered to Tara.

Turquoise eyes went wide as saucers to that information. _What’s with everyone thinking Shego’s_ _that way?_ Barkin said Shego invited him to the show, so he did seem to be where Shego’s taste lay. Tara supposed she was just going to have to ask Shego herself sometime soon… from a distance… maybe an email… while she was out of state.

Vivian shook her head and left the room. The teens watched her go and then sat silently for a few, long seconds.

“I’m sorry about her outburst. She has to be overtired, screaming like that,” Felix said.

Tara waved it off, knowing Vivian had outbursts like that more than Felix was aware of them. She hoped he never got to see it the way they did. He seemed to really care about his aunt and think highly of her. Tara did not think it would be fair if he had that image snatched away from him.

“She wasn’t always like that…” Felix gave a whimpering sigh.

“Don’t worry about her, Felix. Vivian’s doing good work. You should be proud of her,” Tara replied. She wondered what Vivian was like when Felix knew her better.

Felix smiled and nodded. “You’re right. So, how about you show me more of this stuff?” he requested. 

They spent time together on the computer until Vivian alerted them that there was a berserker Bebe in the area where the Bebes disappeared. The two teens were off, Tara changing into her hard suit while Felix accompanied Vivian in the mobile Pit to get Shego and Kim their suits.

-8-8-8-8-

Barkin and Ron were the first to arrive at the site where the Bebe was raging out of control. It had already morphed into a huge beast, shaped in the form of a big cat. It roared at the men from a rooftop in the deserted, rundown area.

“At least this thing is attacking some place where people aren’t going to get hurt,” Ron commented, grabbing his gun. He hoped backup arrived quickly, even if the Bebe was not some place populated.

“Thank god for small favors.” Barkin grabbed his own weapon. “The tanks aren’t going to be here for another few minutes. So, it’s up to us to hold if off.”

“Of course,” Ron sighed. So much for backup arriving quickly.

The two officers fired at the berserker Bebe. The shots bounced off of it and the Bebe went into attack mode, leaping at them with a loud, bone-chilling roar. The sound cut through them, but they did not let up. The Bebe flung its tail out at them, extending it all the way to them. They felt the breeze of its passage and leaped out of the way, yet Barkin still lost bits of his sleeves.

“What the hell?” Barkin muttered, clutching his arm, just to make sure that it was still attached to his body.

The Bebe roared again, attacking at both officers. The tail went out at Ron and the Bebe showed it could extend its forearm just like its tail, trying to slash at Barkin. The partners barely dodged, but the Bebe went into another attack quickly.

“Crap,” Ron murmured, thinking he was about to get seriously hurt, knowing he would not be able to get out of the way of the tail again. It whipped at him too fast.

Ron was saved from being impaled by the blue and white Knight Saber seemingly appearing in front of him; Kim dropped out of the sky. Tara did the same in order to save Barkin from having his stomach ripped open. Shego came out of the sky like a meteorite, landing on the Bebe’s back with her hands blazing and her knuckle-bombs ready for war. The Bebe roared as the blow landed, but Shego had not hit the creature in the correct area.

“I’m guessing you didn’t adjust for drag,” Kim commented.

“I’m guessing you can’t shut up,” Shego replied as she backed off and got ready for another attack as soon as her footing was solid. She did not get a chance to go at it again, though.

The ground rumbled, causing debris to fall and cracks to shoot up through crumbling buildings. The five humans backed up, looking around.

“Is that an earthquake?” Ron wondered aloud.

“The last thing this city needs is another earthquake,” Tara muttered to herself.

They were somewhat lucky it was not an earthquake, but they did not like what it was. Out from the pavement a monster that looked like a giant mechanic snake burst out of the ground, grabbing the Bebe into its mouth. The Bebe did not struggle and was swallowed whole by the snake.

“What the hell is that thing?” Shego hollered.

The snake then turned its attention to the Knight Sabers and went after them. They leaped away and fired at it with their needle projectiles. The weapons did nothing to it and then the GJ police force showed up. The snake retreated back into the hole that it created.

“Seriously, what the hell was that thing?” Shego repeated. No one had any answers.

-8-8-8-8-

Doctor Drakken turned his attention to his computer and smiled devilishly. “It would seem that’s the connection. She’s calling them. She’s down there somewhere. Time to move,” he said.

Drakken quickly mobilized his own forces and went out to the site that caught his attention. He worked quickly to make sure no one went there. He needed that place secure and he got that with efficiency that would have stunned people who knew him. He met his forces out at the site in the dead of night, cover of darkness working in their favor.

A thin, youthful male brunette greeted Drakken at the location with pep in his step. “Good evening, Doctor Drakken! I’ve had the area sectioned off and we’ve already started the search,” the young man reported.

“Great! Make sure everyone spreads out and checks all of those tunnels down there,” Drakken ordered with a giant grin on his face. He was giddy and close to dancing. He was sure his search was almost over.

“I’m on it, sir!” The young man saluted.

“And make sure Gemini remains in the dark about this matter.” It would not do to have that fool interfere with his perfect plans.

“Yes, sir!”

“You’re a real loyal guy. What’s your name?” Drakken inquired.

“I’m Hank Perkins, sir, and I will make sure everything is just as you want it. Gemini won’t know a thing about this and we’ll find the lab you’re looking for.”

Drakken nodded and Hank Perkins zoomed off to go see to it that Drakken’s orders were carried out. Drakken smiled, happy to have gathered so many loyal employees right under Gemini’s nose. He was certain his subordinates would carry out his wishes and everything would be right in the world… as far as he was concerned. He would soon show everyone just what Bebes were capable of.

-8-8-8-8-

“What do you mean we’re off the case?” Barkin threw his hands up. Ron kicked the door shut to the chief’s office so that everyone outside did not have to go deaf from the two loudest mouths on Earth. 

“This order came down from the top! The case is closed and that area is closed off!” Dementor slammed his fist down on his desk to punctuate his statement, and possibly make more noise than Barkin.

Ron wondered if they were both just peacocking. _Maybe they think alpha males are loud or something_. Either way, it sucked to be trapped in a small area with them.

“You can’t do that!” Barkin yelled right back. They had to keep looking into that case, especially because of that monster that ate the Bebe last night. It was something that deserved to be investigated, but it would seem that others did not agree.

“That area is off limits and the case is done! If you want to argue with me about it, then we can do it while you’re suspended!” Dementor threatened his employee.

Barkin made a choking sound as he gasped and he stormed out of the office. Ron smiled sheepishly, embarrassed by his partner, and followed the larger male. Barkin grumbled about how things were going all wrong and then he suddenly stopped. He looked like a light bulb went off in his head.

“Oh, god, I know this isn’t going to be good,” Ron muttered.

“We’re going to go down there and see what’s going on. Something’s wrong here and I’m not going to take it,” Barkin declared.

“We can’t just go down there. Thanks to the quake, that whole area is a maze. Tunnels could do on forever and we could easily get lost,” Ron pointed out.

“Then we’ll get a map.” 

Ron did not even get a chance to ask about that as Barkin marched off to the one person he knew could get him what he needed. Tara was at her workstation, eating her breakfast and staring at her computer screen when a smiling Barkin and Ron appeared before her. Tara frowned, knowing he wanted something and he dragged poor Ron along with him.

“What do you want?” Tara sighed. “If it’s something about Shego, I don’t think I’m going to tell you.” 

“Shego? What’s this about Shego?” Ron asked with a sly look on his face as he nudged his partner with his elbow. Barkin balked and sputtered before getting the conversation back on track.

“We need you to look up a map for us,” Barkin explained. 

“A map? I thought the work computers weren’t supposed to be used for personal reasons,” Tara remarked with an evil smile.

“I just need you to get this map for me.”

“Fine,” Tara sighed. The sooner she could get him out of her face, the sooner she could get back to breakfast. She was quite hungry, so much so she did not think to ask what they needed the map for. She just let them tell her the area and she got the map for them.

It did not occur to her until much later when she was off of work and sitting around Betty’s garage with Felix did she realize just what they were going to do. “Those idiots!” Tara declared out of the blue. 

Felix blinked. “Uh… who are you talking about, Tara?”

“No time to explain! We’ve got get to the hard suits!” Tara replied, jumping up from her seat.

-8-8-8-8-

“I can’t believe Tara gave us these layouts so easily,” Ron commented, as he and Barkin walked through the narrow passage of what he suspected was once a hallway. The corridor was dark as they made their way further down into the ruins and sewers. It was damp and smelled of mold. There was a drip somewhere that threatened to drive him mad, as it seemed to be follow them no matter how deep they walked into this passage.

“If you catch her before breakfast, it’s easy to get a favor out of her because she hasn’t gotten any sugar in her system yet,” Barkin explained.

“I don’t even want to know why you know that,” Ron deadpanned. He wondered how often his partner took advantage of Tara. He also wondered just what the hell he was doing down in a freaking sewer when he was supposed to be at home watching television. He sighed. Someone had to keep an eye on his crazy partner and apparently that someone had to be him. _When did I become a babysitter?_

Barkin did not bother to elaborate and they continued further, flashlights shining ahead of them. They went down deeper, coming into a space they could not help wondering about. It was below the sewer and they wondered if the earthquake had displaced it so many years ago or it was always there and no one knew about it. 

There were plenty of offshoots to choose from, but they continued on straight. They were surprised when that mechanical snake broke out of the darkness, hissing at them and then opening its mouth wide, showing off rows upon rows sharp teeth. They leaped out of the way to avoid being eaten. The snake turned its head in Ron’s direction.

“Oh, man, I really should’ve stayed home,” Ron muttered, thinking he stared his death in the mouth.

Before the snake got to Ron, an explosion burst through the hall and the snake backed up. As the smoke cleared, Ron saw the white and blue Saber saved him yet again. The green and black Saber came in to take on the snake while Kim directed Ron and Barkin out of the corridor. Tara dashed by them all, hoping to find the power supply of the snake or at least some place she was able to look up the snake’s weak points electronically.

Shego wasted no time going at the snake with her flaring hands and readying her knuckle bombs. The snake hissed and then its tongue shot out of its mouth. The tongue wrapped around Shego’s body and she was suddenly unable to move. 

“What the hell? Damn it, my hard suit isn’t responding!” Shego growled.

“Not responding?” Felix’s voice echoed through her communication device. He turned to Vivian; they were both in the mobile Pit.

“This fucking snake thing has me! The suit isn’t responding!” Shego said again. Kim came to her aid, only to find that the snake had more than one tongue and her suit suddenly failed, too. “And now Kim’s suit isn’t responding,” Shego mumbled. “That was a brilliant move, Princess. What do you do next, get killed right next me?” 

“See if I ever try to help you again,” Kim retorted. “Tara, do you have anything?”

“I’ve got nothing useful so far,” Tara informed her teammates. “Should I just come and help with the snake?”

“Snake?” Vivian echoed. She clutched her forehead as a sudden jolt of pain shot through her head. And then she stood up like she had a revelation. “Tara, stay away from that snake and keep doing what you’re doing! Felix, I’m going out!”

“Uh… okay…” Felix said slowly. He was not sure what just happened and Vivian was gone, so he could not figure out what was going on. “Tara, you okay?”

“I’m all right. I’m still gathering the data,” Tara answered from inside a collapsed office space. Most of the console in the room had been destroyed, but all she really needed was for it to turn on and she could do the rest. _Come on, hurry up! Freaking ancient computers and their forever loading time!_

While she waited, Tara listened as her teammates, whose complaints had actually turned into taunting each other. She wondered if that was the way Kim and Shego dealt with the grim realization they might actually die. 

“You know, you’re more useless than I initially gave you credit for,” Shego said to Kim as the snake pulled them toward its waiting mouth.

“Oh, yeah, because you’re obviously capable of getting out of this mess,” Kim scoffed.

“I would get out of it, but you’d probably just copy me and I’d still be stuck with you.”

Kim snorted. “So, you’d rather die with me? Brilliant plan!” 

The conversation was cut, as was the tongue of the snake as the purple Saber appeared with her forearm blade out. Kim and Shego hit the ground while Vivian stared at the snake and found herself staring into oblivion. Her mind raced and her brain felt like it was being drowned in information.

“Vivian, get out of the way!” Kim shouted, thinking the team leader was about to be devoured by the snake.

Tara seemed to come out of nowhere. She took aim and fired several needles directly into the snake’s mouth. The needles whizzed by Vivian and she did not even move. Tara did hit her mark and the snake dropped like a brick. 

“Thank god those blue prints were right and its weak point was in the back of its mouth,” Tara sighed in relief. She was not sure what she would have done if the data was incorrect.

“Good work,” Kim said to Tara, able to walk over to Tara and put a congratulating hand on her shoulder. Everyone was ready to go, except Vivian, who was just staring into the darkness beyond the snake.

“It’s in here somewhere…” Vivian realized in a whisper. She gulped and wondered if Gemini knew.

-8-8-8-8- 

Next time: Kim starts missing missions and then has to go back home for a while. Will she still have a place on the team after this?


	12. “Ain’t no sunshine”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept; it comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> This title is a song by Bill Withers.

 

12: “Ain’t no sunshine”

“Kim, are you coming or not?” Vivian inquired, speaking to Kim over her cell phone.

Kim was trying her best to get to the Silk Android, but her motor scooter seemed very against that idea. The scooter sputtered and it smelled almost like it was on fire. There was no smoke to be seen, so Kim continued to push it with the hope the vehicle would get her to her destination. She would be able to check on it later. She just wanted to get there right now.

“I’m coming! I’ll be there in a few minutes. Just wait for me!” Kim begged. Lately, that seemed to be her favorite line. Her scooter seemed to cough, as if calling her a liar while alerting her that she was pushing it too hard. She ignored the sound.

“You said that last time and you didn’t make it,” Vivian pointed out. It was more than just last time, actually. It was the last few times. Kim just could not make it to them on time. In fact, if it was not for the mobile Pit, she was not sure if Kim would ever make to a mission.

“I had overtime! I couldn’t just cut out on the mandatory overtime,” Kim countered in a voice that pled for understanding. She could not get away from her job as easily as Shego and Tara could sometimes.

“Okay, you had overtime. Try to come in and we’ll try to get you out, like always,” Vivian replied. She had no problem sending Kim out if the eager redhead could just make it to them at some point.

“Okay.”

Kim tried to push her scooter to go faster. The little vehicle coughed again, harsher than ever before. It was not the first time that the scooter made such noises. Usually, Kim had enough knowledge to fix the thing, so she did not think anything of it. She just wanted to make it to the Silk Android before her teammates left without her. And then she saw two red lights blazing across the night skies and she sighed.

“Guys… why didn’t you wait?” Kim pouted, knowing those two streaks were her comrades rushing to the scene of the berserker Bebe. Taking her focus off of the crimson dots, she noticed her scooter slowing and black smoke came from several sections of it. “Oh, come on!” she groaned. Her Mega-Go City bad luck streak obviously continued to haunt her.

Kim stopped the scooter; it was just seconds away from stopping itself. She got off and started to push the thing. She headed in the direction she saw her teammates. She wondered if she would ever make to a mission on her own again, especially if her scooter was really dead now.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego and Tara landed on the scene where a Bebe had already morphed its form and was terrorizing a group of men. Shego glanced around them, seeing a hole in a grimy looking motel. She had to fight off the urge not to laugh as she figured out what happened.

“Berserker sex-doll Bebe? I’m damn near tempted to let it have its fun,” Shego remarked, shaking her head.

“I’m going first!” Tara declared, smiling behind her helmet.

Shego did not object and let Tara dash into the fray. She noticed that Tara had been much more eager to get into battle lately. She gathered it had something to do with all of the time that Tara spent with Kim. Part of her, a part she generally ignored, burned thinking about the two and their damned sleepovers.

Shego wondered what her teammates did at those sleepovers. Fight training had to be part of it since Tara had certainly improved, but she could not guess beyond that. It bothered her to the point she considered joining them plenty of times, as they always offered; Tara always made it a point to say that Kim wanted to see Shego and so she should come. Of course, the big, bad biker could not go to a freaking slumber party, so she was left to her thoughts, which she generally ignored.

Shego shook her thoughts away and turned her attention to Tara. Spending time with Kim was one of the things that got Tara fired up about combat. Tara now moved just like Kim, especially the kick moves. Tara seemed to be built just right to copy Kim’s graceful, gymnastic moves and turned into kicks with the same style as Kim. _She lacks Kim’s power and flare, though_ , Shego mentally noted. It was good to see Tara finally making use of the bomb features in her suit, though.

 _Kim still looks better when kicking the shit out of a Bebe, though_ , Shego commented mentally and then she shook her head. _Where the hell did that come from? I’ve got to be losing my mind_. It was the only thing that made sense.

Tara practically danced on the Bebe with her new moves. She had practiced as much as possible just for moments like this. She went in for the finish, punching at the Bebe with her suit’s knuckle bombs and destroying the head of the machine as the bombs exploded. The core of the robot suffered the same fate. The decapitated body of the Bebe dropped with a heavy thud.

Tara shamelessly cheered herself, jumping up and down while clapping. This prompted the crowd around to cheer for her, too. She took a bow, moving to make sure everyone saw. It was in her move she spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

Tara locked eyes with Kim, who stood in the crowd with her scooter leaning against her. Tara almost called out to her friend in her excitement, but she caught herself. Shego noticed Tara’s attention focused on one part of the crowd, so she decided to see what was so interesting.

Shego caught sight of Kim, whose shoulders were slumped and her face long. It was like her heart and soul was spread out on the pavement. Shego felt her own heart drop into her stomach at the sight of Kim’s crestfallen eyes.

“Let’s go,” Shego ordered in a hard tone as she took off.

“Bye!” Tara chirped to her audience before following the green and black Knight Saber.

Kim sighed, disappointment infecting her so badly that she felt like she might throw up. She turned around, continuing to push her broken ride. She needed to make it home, after all. _Just as useless as Shego insists_ … she mentally sighed.

-8-8-8-8-

“You know, you’re not kind to this bike,” Betty commented, speaking to Shego as she looked over the singer’s ride. The sky was painted orange and red as the sun sank behind the cityscape.

Shego smirked at her as she leaned against a broken sign advertising this rundown piece of nowhere as a garage. “You say that all the time, yet I never see you do any extensive repairs on it. I think you just want to me to think that so I keep coming back here.”

“Please, you’re lucky I haven’t shot you yet to keep you away,” Betty retorted, eyes focused on the motorcycle, so she did not see the look in Shego’s teasing emerald gaze.

Shego was about to say something utterly smart, but then she noticed Betty reaching for a part. She glanced down at the metallic cylinder and noticed the name “Gemini” printed across it. She craned an eyebrow to that.

“You use Gemini parts?” Shego frowned as serious attitude crept into her tone. She could not believe they were supporting the very idiot who made and supplied Bebes!

“They make the best ones,” Felix explained with a shrug as he exited Betty’s extremely humble abode.

“And it doesn’t strike you two as just a little idiotic to support the fucking company giving us so much grief?” Shego inquired. Silence was her answer from Felix while Betty just ignored her. Felix at least had the decency to look away.

Shego snorted and was about to say something else, but was interrupted by the sound of pathetic wheels squeaking toward them. Seconds later, Kim came into view, pushing her scooter. She noticed all eyes were on her as she made it to the garage and she smiled quite sheepishly at everyone before waving.

“You do know this is a garage and not a toy repair shop, right?” Shego remarked, eyes shining with joy and mischief.

“I thought it was a kid’s birthday party considering your makeup,” Kim retorted.

Felix almost snickered, but he caught himself, knowing Shego would have murdered him — twice — if he dared to laugh. He decided to take charge of the scooter since it was obvious Kim needed some work done on it to give himself something to do to avoid laughing.

“I’ve done all I could with it, but I think it needs professional help,” Kim admitted.

Felix smiled at her. “I’ll do my best to save it.”

“Thanks. It’s that or the bus.” She would never make enough at work to buy a car, especially with all of the damned demerits.

Shego scoffed. “Better start looking up bus schedules then.”

Felix huffed, a little insulted. He could fix anything and he was determined to save Kim’s little scooter. So, now Felix and his mentor had things to occupy their time. Kim and Shego were left to not kill each other. Felix almost wanted to make a bet, but he doubted Betty would take him up on it.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego and Kim ended up on two lounge chairs on top of the roof of Betty’s business. They were quiet and stared at the sky for a long time. Neither were sure if they had ever had a moment like this one, feeling completely relaxed and unguarded. It was like they were just existing and being at peace. Hell, Shego could not even recall the last time she felt at peace.

“Tara’s improving a lot, isn’t she?” Kim asked out of the blue. Her eyes stayed on the sky, watching the color fade.

“Yeah, I wonder where the hell she’s getting that stuff from,” Shego commented, not bothering to look over at her teammate.

“If you have patience, she’s eager to learn.”

“The hell kind of freaky shit have you been trying to teach her?” the biker teased, even though some part of her really wanted to know the answer to that. She might have to break up some of those little slumber parties.

Kim, getting the implications of the line, bristled a little and blushed. Shego caught the blush out of the corner of her eye and had to keep a chuckle at bay. She wondered if she had finally won a definite verbal bout with Kim. Okay, she actually counted every time that she and Kim went back and forth as a victory for her, but she was sure Kim would dispute that.

Beyond that, though, Shego wondered how deep the blush went. Was there something going on between Kim and Tara? She doubted it. After all, Tara was really chummy with Felix, too.

“You know, you could find out if you’d just hang out with us a little more. But, I guess you’re too scared,” Kim replied with a devilish smirk. There was never a time she was lacking in a smart-ass comment, so, no, Shego would never win as far as she was concerned.

Shego snorted. “Scared I’ll find out exactly how geeky you two really are.”

“You’re probably just as geeky. The bike and leather are just for show.”

“You think that and then when I pull out the whips and chains, we’ll see how geeky I am.” Internally, Shego winced. Okay, she did not mean to say that. Unfortunately, it was the first thing that came to mind for some reason she would rather not think about it.

“Don’t tempt me.” Kim flinched and another, hotter blush burned her face. She did not mean to say that. _Where the hell did that comeback come from?_

The two decided they needed to go back to being quiet for a second. They let the silence eat away those last two comments before daring to open their mouths again. Kim was the one that started to speak for the second time.

“You know, I guess it’s good Tara’s getting so much better. She can feel better about going into battle against these crazy Bebes,” Kim stated.

Emerald eyes rolled. “Now she can get beat up slower than before.”

Kim cut Shego a sideways glance, as if scolding her with the look. Once again, Shego held in a laugh. It was rare for someone to have the nerve to reprimand her. In fact, Vivian was just about the only one who dared to do it. She figured that was because Vivian was not exactly mentally stable, but Kim was obviously just plain crazy to admonish her with a look, she thought.

“She’s better backup since you can’t seem to show up on time,” Shego commented, adding that one to show she was far from rebuked by that look. She then regretted her words because Kim’s expression dropped just a little bit. Olive eyes became glazed over with sadness.

“I know. It was almost like there was no point to me even joining the team. I mean, this is how it was before I even showed up, just you and Tara. Hell, even when I am there, my suit runs out of power or something else. What’s the point, right?” Kim sighed.

“You have your job and everything. One of us has to live in the real world,” Shego pointed out. She did not want to think why she said that either. _I must be losing my mind!_

Kim was silent for a moment and then she chuckled a bit. “You’re trying to lift my spirits! You must care about me!” she teased… or she thought anyway.

Shego grunted and scowled, as if she had just been deeply insulted. She tore herself away from the lounge chair and decided it was time to go see if her bike was ready. Kim made a panicked face before letting out a very disappointed and undignified yelp.

“I’ve got to go home for a few days,” Kim said hurriedly, seemingly out of the blue.

The words apparently caught Shego’s ears because she stopped walking away. Her back remained facing Kim, though. She tried her best not to stiffen her body, but it tensed anyway as she wondered why Kim was suddenly leaving. Kim took the pause as a silent invitation to continue on.

“It’s for a memorial service or something like that. One of my dad’s old coworkers. According to my parents, I liked the guy when I was little and my dad used to take me to his job. I don’t really remember. Anyway, I was hoping you could tell Vivian. Not that any of you guys would miss me,” Kim said with a hollow chuckle. The only one she was kind of close to was Tara outside of the missions.

Shego grunted. “Nothing to miss about you,” she stated in a gruff tone while muscles in her body seemed to liquefy at the thought. “When’re you leaving?” she managed to ask. She was not sure how her voice got around the lump in her throat.

“Tomorrow.”

“And you’re going to come back?” Shego found herself asking. _What do I care if the little pest makes her way back?_ Kim was just someone who got in her way, like Tara. Just like Tara, in fact.

“It’s just for the service. I’ll be back, so you don’t have to miss me too much,” Kim remarked with a forced smile. Somehow, the words lacked their usual luster, making her just a little less than believable.

-8-8-8-8-

Gemini watched the large monitor in his office and leaned back in his chair. The screen showed his latest grand project. It tickled him so much he had named it the Alpha Project. The company would mine for natural resources in space. He would become the biggest dealer in the world’s energy if everything went right. He frowned, as it was not going according to plan and he wanted answers why. He was mere months away from controlling not just the Earth’s energy, but also other planets as well, and now they were in a “snag.”

Gemini summoned the lead scientist. “So, Drakken, what’s the hold up?” he demanded as Drakken darkened his door. “I put you in charge of the Dragon Line because you said you could handle it.”

“I can handle it,” Drakken insisted.

“Then, why am I hearing the connection that’s supposed to power my Alpha Project is behind schedule? What’s the problem?”

Drakken squirmed in the doorway, suffering the attitude of his boss that seemed to come off in poisonous waves from a good distance. He had better things to do with his time than listen to Gemini whine about his precious project. The Dragon Line was coming together. 

“The space station is almost done,” Drakken pointed out, hoping that would appease Gemini. He needed to get out of here.

“I know the station is almost done!” Gemini slammed his metallic fist on his desk. “This is why the Dragon Line should be near completion. We need to get power to the station, after all.”

“The placement of the Dragon Line is what the problem is,” Drakken explained. “You wanted to put it some place out of the way in the city, so you didn’t have to go through a lot of red tape for it. Well, you get what you pay for,” he remarked, feeling quite clever about himself lately.

Drakken knew money tended to make things easier, which was how Gemini got a lot of things done. This time, Gemini went for something cheap because it was easier, which was one of the reasons they were in the position that they were in. Although, it worked out almost perfectly for him, he silently admitted.

“Is the problem because of the quake?” Gemini asked. He figured the mess the quake made of that area could be one of the reasons things were going slowly, but he did not understand why they could not get a team there just to make things perfect. He wanted to have the world’s energy in his hands now!

“You wanted to put the Line in an area that wouldn’t be a problem and the city gave you a spot that was perfect for it where you wouldn’t have to worry about a bunch of people or anything. It’s just that area wasn’t fixed after the quake, which is why it’s out of the way,” Drakken answered. It was a blessing and a curse in his opinion.

“Is that all?”

“The Line is also being built near where all of the Bebes disappeared. So, production is slow in that regard, too. Those Bebes who were working are gone and need to be replaced.” _The Bebe disappearance slowed me down, too_ , Drakken mentally complained.

A scowl cut across Gemini’s face as he took in those words. “That is tragic. I need that Line for this to get started.”

Drakken put pressed his hands together in thought. “You know, when this Alpha project is done, the company’s main focus is going to be on energy rather than Bebes.” This has plagued him since he found about the Alpha Project.

“That’s rather personal for you, isn’t it, Drakken?” Gemini asked, almost as if he cared. The sneer on his lip showed he taunted the scientist, though.

Drakken scowled. “Bebes made this company.”

“This company existed long before a person gave a damn about a Bebe and it will exists long after it. Bebes are just a product. The world runs on energy and when I control that, this company will be unstoppable, so go fix the Dragon Line now,” Gemini commanded in a stone, cold voice.

The scientist frowned deeper and took that chance to exit the office before he lost his temper. He marched back to his own office, thinking about just how much his hatred of that one-eyed bastard had grown in less than five minutes. He flung himself in his chair and glared at his desk, knowing he had to make a move quickly or Gemini would beat him to what they were both after.

“That idiot. He doesn’t realize that the power to control the world is right at his fingertips. So, how can I get to this while I have the chance?” the cerulean scientist wondered, rubbing his hands together in thought.

He turned on his computer and there happened to be a video of the Knight Sabers on the desktop. He glanced at it and decided to play it. It was a leftover from when Gemini was close to obsessed with the group. Drakken had been less than curious, but now, he began to think. He wondered why the group was so interested in the Bebes.

“What do they have against clearly the perfect invention?” Drakken asked himself.

Gemini had lost interest in the Knight Sabers because he could taste the completion of his precious Alpha Project. The Knight Sabers would not be able to stop that or stand in the way or that. His sister would not be able to mess up his plans. So, Gemini relaxed. Well, tried to anyway.

The Alpha Project was on pause thanks to the problems that would need to be worked out. Drakken figured he would work slowly, buying himself time. He considered he might be able to put the Knight Sabers to work in someway since they were so interested in Bebes. He just needed to figure out how, so they could once again distract Gemini.

“Shouldn’t be much of a problem with my genius,” Drakken convinced himself. There was something about the Knight Sabers and how they always knew where to be scratched at his brain. He had to be able to use that. He would have to keep Gemini out of his hair while he was at it.

Drakken focused on the video of the Knight Sabers. He watched them move and he could not help thinking about the past. The design seemed close to familiar, which explained Gemini’s attraction to them before.

“Was this a project from when Director was in charge of things?” Drakken’s blue forehead wrinkled as he tried to recall. “There were so many different projects going on back then, but the Bebes were the priority. Still, this looks like something that could have come from the lab.”

Now, he wondered about other things. Drakken knew he was easily distracted, so he tried to put the design of the suits out of his mind and just think about the Bebes. _The most perfect invention, even if that fool Gemini thinks otherwise_.

“I’ll show him just how perfect the Bebes are,” Drakken vowed.

-8-8-8-8-

“Aunt Vivian, are you going to go to bed sometime soon?” Felix inquired as he poked his head into her office, which was down in the Pit.

“Soon enough. You go ahead,” Vivian said with a wave of her hand. Her eyes were glued to her computer screen.

Felix shrugged, knowing better than to argue. She was on a mission, after all. Well, he assumed she was on a mission. She did not tell him much about things and Betty said even less. He knew it had something to do with the Bebes and he was trying to put things together, but he could not quite figure out why his aunt was so obsessed with taking care of the berserker Bebes. He doubted it was just because she did not like seeing robots going against their programming, but he was not sure what. He was also not sure why Betty helped Vivian since Betty did not seem to care one way or another about the Bebes going insane.

“I hope she doesn’t think any of this is her fault…” Felix muttered, glancing back at his aunt’s office.

Vivian remained on her computer, trying to get into the Gemini Corporation server. She meant to get Tara to do it earlier, but Tara had been in a silly mood Vivian was not looking to deal with. It would seem Tara was still feeling the high of successfully battling a Bebe. Vivian just wanted to check on what Gemini was up and what his people were doing in that beat-up section of town.

She found information about the Dragon Line and how it was expected to power the space station for the Alpha Project, but it was delayed for a few reasons. She scoffed at the idea of Gemini going after controlling the planet’s energy. He certainly was ambitious, but she considered he might not be searching for what she thought, until she saw who was in charge of the project: Doctor Drew Drakken.

“Is he looking for _it_ or is it just a coincidence? He can’t be so stupid as to be looking for it,” Vivian said to herself. No, no one with a semi-brilliant mind could be looking for that thing, she silently convinced herself. Yet, she continued looking, trying to figure out if he was up to something. After all, maybe he was _that_ stupid.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim could not believe how easily and quickly the Metro Express got her home. She got home almost a couple of hours before she planned on it. She guessed she might as well take the bus home to avoid bugging someone about a ride. Besides, she needed her parents to get it in their heads she could take care of herself. Really, she needed her dad to figure out she was not ten anymore, which was partially why she moved to Mega-Go City.

She arrived home after an hour-long bus ride and knocked instead of using her key. It was her way of announcing her arrival. The door opened and before she could even see which parent it was who answered, she was yanked into a crushing embrace. Her father answered.

“Kimmie-cub, it’s so good to see you again!” her father, Doctor James Possible, declared with a happy grin as he practically crushed her against his chest.

“It’s good to see you too, Dad,” Kim replied with a smile. She then groaned as he hugged her so tightly. 

“You’re just in time for dinner. Come on, come on,” James said, ushering her in and letting her go at the same time. His arms got tangled up for a moment, causing her to chuckle a little. _Same ol’ Dad_ , she thought. 

James shut the door behind Kim as she dropped her backpack by the stairs. James went back to the table while Kim dipped into the bathroom to wash her hands. With that out of the way, she went to the dining room and saw her brothers. The heckling came right after that.

“Hey, Kim’s back! They fired you already?” Tim asked with a taunting smirk on his face.

Kim sighed, but did not dignify that with that a response. _Same ol’ tweebs, too_. She hated how Tim’s dig was close to the truth, in two different instances.

“They probably found out she’s gay,” Jim added in. “Bet they have a ‘no tolerance’ policy on ugly lesbians.”

“Now, now, boys,” James scolded them before Kim just exploded on them.

Kim was amazed out how easily they could get on her nerves in less than thirty seconds. It was like she had never left the way with they fell into line with some of the worst insults they could think of. She decided she needed to just ignore them.

“So, how’s your job anyway, Kimmie? I’ve been seeing reports about that space project from the Gemini Corporation,” James said as Kim sat down. 

“It’s not bad. I mean, I think my bosses hate me and I’m probably two sneezes away from being fired, but it’s not that bad,” Kim answered honestly with a slight shrug. She worked hard with her usual perfectionist thinking. She was certain that was the only thing that saved her from having every supervisor she had come to fire her at the same time.

“You know, if you find it’s too much for you, you’re always welcomed back home,” her mother, Doctor Ann Possible, stated as she entered the dining room with dinner in hand. They were having a roast and she had actually taken the time to cook it instead of ordering it since it was a special occasion. Kim was home, even if it was for a somber event. 

“I just left home. I like it in Go City,” Kim pointed out.

Her mother shook her head, but smiled. “You only just got there. The shine hasn’t worn off yet.” 

Kim decided against arguing because she knew that her mother just wanted her to come back home no matter what. Instead of letting the matter drop into silence, the twins decided to chime in.

“I’d say Kim’s probably got a boyfriend in Go City, but no self-respecting boy would date her,” Tim remarked.

“No self-respecting girl either, so she’s ruined no matter what,” Jim added and they got a good laugh.

Kim rolled her eyes. Ever since the boys hit puberty, her love life or lack there of had been the target of their jokes. They ran the gamut from her growing old as a spinster to her being gay to no one in their right mind finding her attractive. She had learned to just let them go until they got bored, which happened eventually. After all, how long did any boy want to talk about his sister’s love life? By then, dinner was over and Kim helped her mother clear the table.

“You know, I was serious about you coming back to the house if you want to,” Ann said.

“I know and I was serious about liking Go City,” Kim replied with a grateful smile.

The worried mother sighed and regarded Kim with concerned blue eyes. “You used to tell us about stuff that you like, but you haven’t called and said a good thing about Go City. You haven’t really called at all and every time we call you, you hurry off of the phone.” 

“I’ve found a few things to like about Go City,” she assured her mother. _Wait, a few?_ Why did she say a few when she was pretty sure that she was only referring to the Knight Sabers? She did not have an answer for that and decided to just dismiss it from her mind.

Ann made a noise in agreement. “That’s good. I’m happy for you if you’ve found something you like. I hope you keep at it.”

“I’m trying… I just feel like I’m being left behind…” Kim sighed. “Like I’m not needed.”

Ann turned to her daughter and focused solely on her. She locked eyes with her child. “Kim, you’re a brilliant, talented, resourceful girl in many different ways. No one could leave you behind if you didn’t want them to and you’re always needed and I don’t say that as your mother. I say that as a person who has seen you in action.” 

Kim nodded, even though she doubted that. She just did not have it in her to bring her mother down. Her mother did not know about her luck in Go City, after all. Maybe it would not be such a crazy idea to just stay in Middleton. At least she could make a difference here.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Does Kim stay in Middleton? Shego goes out to fight a monster-sized Bebe on her own. Can she handle it?


	13. “My Way”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept; it came from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title is a song by Usher and also a song by Limp Bizkit. I think both songs fit the chapter, hence the title.

 

13: “My Way”

Kim went to the memorial with her family. Seeing the picture at the front of the church for the service jarred her memory of her father’s colleague. She smiled a little as she remembered the man and how he encouraged her when she was no older than six to always reach for the stars, as he had to make a space comment. She guessed that came with the job of working at a space center. Just thinking about him lifted her spirits and then she noticed something else that made the trip worth it. 

 _Josh?_ Kim noticed an old classmate not too far from her. She was not sure if it was him or not, but found out at the end of the service that it was. He approached her with a small smile.

“Hey, Kim,” Josh greeted her in her usual mellow tone as he walked up to her once the mourners filed out of the building. She blinked hard, like she could not believe he was next to her.

“Oh, hi, Josh,” Kim said as if she was surprised to see him. She felt like a nervous school girl around him. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, my dad knew the deceased. You?” he countered, putting his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

“My dad knew him, too. Well, I suppose I knew him, too.”

“Then I’m sorry for your loss,” Josh replied, eyes glancing away for a moment with the hope of masking his sadness. “I guess it’d be in bad taste to ask you to come walk with me for a while.” He felt a little bad about throwing that out there and would feel even worse if she declined.

“No, that’s fine. I think I could use a walk,” she answered. She needed something to help her clear her head for a little while. “Let me just go explain it to my family. I don’t want them to think they lost me or something.”

Josh nodded. Kim walked off a few feet and explained everything in a low voice to her mother because she did not want her brothers chiming in with anything smart to say. The twins spoke up anyway.

“Oh, Kimmie’s going off with the ex,” Jim started.

“Well, no danger of them getting on it since he dumped Kim back in high school,” Tim finished.

“He did not dump me, you little tweebs,” Kim growled at the pair, who made faces at her. “Oh, just grow up, you two,” she huffed. Two years of high school and they still acted like little punks in her opinion.

“Kim, go ahead before you end up stuck here arguing,” her mother urged her. “And be careful, sweetie,” she added with a glance toward Josh.

“So not the drama, Mom,” Kim said, waving her mother off with her right hand.

Ann looked quite skeptical on that as her daughter walked off. She eyed Josh for a while before Kim made it back to him. Josh, the guy her daughter had been so in love with not even two years ago, and also the guy her daughter refused to talk about after they had broken up a few months ago. Ann was not sure what happened with them and she hoped Kim walking off with him was not going to add to the troubles Kim seemed to have brought with her from Go City. She considered he might also be the thing to get Kim back to Middleton before she ended up hurt somehow in Go City.

“So, I heard you’re living in Go City now,” Josh said to start off some conversation between him and Kim as they started to wander.

“Yeah,” Kim replied, not even thinking to add to that. She really just wanted to let her mind wander for a little while.

“How do you like it?” He gave her a sidelong glance.

“It’s all right. I mean, it’s got its ups and downs like any other place.” She shrugged. She neglected to add that right now, it felt like the downs were outnumbering the ups by quite a bit, yet she felt drawn to return still. “What about you? You’re still here in Middleton?”

“I’m not too far. I decided to go to school for art and music. You know, like someone told me to,” he said with a charming smile and he knocked his hip lightly against hers. His words and gesture earned him a smile.

“Good that you decided to go for art and music. You don’t have to choice between your two loves, after all,” she replied.

He smiled a little. “What about you? Have you found something to love?” he asked with an arched eyebrow.

Kim thought on it for a moment. Of course, she had found something to love. The real question was if it was going to lead to heartbreak, not that it would be the first time, she reminded herself.

“I have,” she confirmed.

Josh arched an eyebrow again, obviously surprised by that response. “So, I guess you’re going to end up going back to Go City,” he stated, not sounding as disappointed as he felt.

Kim was silent again, as if she did not know. He stared at her intently, awaiting his answer. She laughed a little, like she heard a bad joke, but there was just silence between them.

“I want to go back, even though I feel like I’m not needed there. I mean, I get into so much trouble at work. You should see it. You’d think I was an idiot,” she commented, a hollow smile on her face.

“I thought you said you loved it, though,” he said.

She shook her head. “Work isn’t the thing I love.” She hated work in fact. She wished she never had to go there again, but she needed to live and it was her excuse for being in Go City.

“No? Then what’s keeping you in the city? I mean, you don’t have much there beside work and that school you want to go to, but haven’t started,” he pointed out. “So, what do you love? What keeps you there?”

Kim gave him a halfhearted half-smile, as if conceding he had a point. What was keeping her in the city? A team who did not need her? The thing she loved did not love her in return, she was pretty sure of that. There was something keeping her in the city that she could not put a name on, a desire to continue being a Knight Saber, but even something beyond that. Maybe a desire to belong and fit in, at least with the Knight Sabers, but it seemed to be even beyond that to her. She really could not figure out what it was that was beyond this love she felt for being a Knight Saber that begged, pleaded, and implored her to stay in an unforgiving city that had caused her more than a little bit of grief.

“I don’t have a name for it, but it makes me want to go back. I just hope it’s still there for me,” Kim replied.

“Then I hope it’s waiting for you,” he commented.

She gave him a sidelong glance as they continued walking. Waiting for her? It was more than likely leaving her behind as they spoke, she thought. That was her luck, after all.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara stretched at her desk and let loose a long sigh. A beep on her computer went off and she popped up with a huge grin on her face. Her shift was over! She was ready to do a happy dance and then run out of the building, except for the fact that two steps away from her desk she ran into Steve and Ron. And Steve had that “I need a favor” look on his face. Her expression practically dropped through the floor.

“No, no, no, no, no!” Tara said, emphatically shaking her head to backup her words. She was going home, especially if it meant she did not need to be around these two halfwits! After all, the last time she helped them, they had almost gotten themselves killed… not that they knew she was aware of that.

“C’mon, Tara!” Barkin begged, pressing his hands together like he was in prayer.

“No, I’m not going to give you any hints on how to get with Shego and no more work-related anything!” she declared, stomping her foot to solidify her stance on the matter.

“Shego?” Ron echoed, wondering what he missed. He was going to grill Barkin about it later on.

“Look, we got this in the mail not too long ago. We want you to analyze it,” Barkin explained, shoving a flash drive in Tara’s hands.

“What’s this?” Tara asked, looking down at the object now in her possession.

“It’s got footage of the Knight Sabers on it. We need you to look it over and try to figure out who sent it to us. We doubt it was them,” Barkin answered.

Tara craned an eyebrow and held the drive up to her face, looking at it intensely. _If someone caught us on tape, Vivian would have our heads!_ Thankfully, Barkin brought it to her instead of someone else.

“Fine, I’ll look at it,” Tara sighed, making sure to act like it pained her to do so.

“Right now?” Barkin requested with a hopeful look in his eyes, even though his voice sounded stern.

Tara sighed again. “Fine, right now,” she agreed. _Damn it, if only he didn’t look like a begging puppy!_ Not that he knew that. “Only because you’re so cute, Stevie-poo,” she added with a cheeky smile.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Barkin demanded. “And I told you not to call me that!”

Before Barkin could get really belligerent, Ron managed to pull his partner away. Ron offered Tara a grateful smile on his way out. Tara waved a little as a farewell and then pouted as she went back to her desk. She started up her computer again and popped in the flash drive. She saw the video was from their most recent fight and then she noticed something curious.

“This thing starts before we even show up,” Tara muttered.

The video started just a few moments before she and Shego touched down to fight the crazed, sex-toy Bebe. She could not help wondering if someone waited for them to show up. _Is someone stalking the Knight Sabers?_ She did not have time to ponder that, as she got an emergency call about a monster-sized Bebe rampaging through the city.

“Damn it, it’s always something around here,” Tara mumbled and to add to that, she noticed a light flashing in her purse, which let her know her cell phone was going off. She knew it was Vivian. “Vivian, I can’t make it. I’m stuck at work,” she reported.

“Okay, call Kim for me while I call Shego then,” Vivian requested. She hung up before Tara could get a chance to answer.

 _That woman is going to have a nervous breakdown if she doesn’t loosen up_ , Tara commented mentally. She dialed up Kim, who took a while to answer her phone. Tara was almost ready to hang up, but then Kim greeted her with a catchphrase that brought a smile to Tara’s face.

“What’s the sitch?” Kim asked in a low tone. She was next to Josh, as they were still walking.

“Kim, we need you to suit up. How fast can you get to Viv’s?” Tara inquired.

Kim’s face scrunched up in confusion and then she stepped a few feet away from Josh. She offered him a little smile, as if saying the call was private, not that he could not guess that. She then turned her attention back to the phone.

“What do you mean ‘suit up’?” Kim asked in disbelief. Shego did not tell them that she was going to be out of town? _Damn it! I’m going to have to kill the messenger when I get back!_

“There’s a huge Bebe on the loose. I’m stuck at work and Shego, despite what she might think, can’t do it alone. Can you suit up?” Tara asked again.

Kim just stared at her phone. Of course they would need her _now_ of all times, she thought. _Damn it_.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego was on the move, trying to get to the Silk Android. Vivian called her about the Bebe, which she could actually see from a high spot on the freeway. Off in the distance the giant Bebe moved and she could hear it roaring. She watched as helicopters and planes from what she guessed was the military rushed over to the area. Vivian already told she might be on her own for things, but to motivate her told her that it would mean more money. She pushed her bike harder.

She got the Silk Android and bolted inside, going straight to the Pit. Vivian waited for her. She prepared the launch of the lone Knight Saber.

“You have to hurry up, Shego! You’re the only one who can go. Tara can’t get off of work and, apparently, Kim is out of town,” Vivian reported in a bit of a rush.

“Oh, right. Yeah, about that, Kim might not be coming back,” Shego said. Her stomach tumbled a bit.

“What?” Vivian asked with a hard blink. The news took her by complete surprise. Why would Kim leave?

Shego did not elaborate. She gave a little wink, as if that was supposed to explain things. Vivian wondered if Shego was joking or not, but then again, she had a feeling Shego knew more about what was going on than she was letting on. The biker went to get into her hard suit as quickly as she could.

Shego took off quickly while Vivian called up Felix. They would have to back Shego up as best they could. While Shego was on-route, the GJ police forces were already getting into position, looking at the huge Bebe. It was taller and wider than a building, looking like a demon football player and destroying everything in its path with not just its body, but missiles and lasers also.

“Why the hell can’t we just shoot the damn thing?” Barkin demanded, speaking to whoever would listen to him.

“It’s a military Bebe, so we have to let them handle it,” the chief, Dementor, answered with a huff.

“They don’t seem to be doing the best job of it,” Ron noted, keeping an eye on the planes and other military personnel set up not too far from the own perimeter.

“We don’t know how to even stop that thing. I’ve got the home front looking in to it,” Dementor said.

Barkin grabbed a walkie-talkie. “Tara, I know you’re on this one, so what do you have about this big military Bebe?” he demanded.

“Uh… at the moment?” Tara asked.

“No, tomorrow,” he huffed. “Yes, at the moment!”

“And the moment…” Tara stopped and looked around at the people hustling about. She then sounded like she was channeling Ron. “I got nothing,” she admitted. She hoped Shego would be all right on her own. She hoped Kim decided to come back, too. _Oh, boy, this is a mess_.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim stared down at her phone while continuing to walk with Josh. He was saying something, but her mind was not registering it. She was just trying to think about the fastest way back to Go City. She did not want to let the team down again… but then, she started to think.

The team did just fine without her, Kim recalled. They had been leaving her behind on missions lately and they got along fine before she even joined. Tara had improved enough to be decent backup for Shego. There was no reason for her to have to rush back, no matter how much she liked the team. They did not seem to need her and that was not going to change by her liking the team.

“Kim, you okay?” Josh asked with concern clouding up his eyes.

“Huh?” Kim blinked and shook her head. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She sounded quite distracted, though.

“Your mind seemed like it was a million miles away.” 

“Maybe not a million,” she muttered.

“Something on your mind?” he asked. 

She turned to look at him in his eyes. He looked so worried about her and it touched her heart. She thought about what she would leave behind if she went back to Go City, but then again, she thought about what she would leave behind if she stayed in Middleton.

“Shego…” Kim whispered, almost as if she was saying a prayer. “Josh, I need a favor from you.”

“Anything,” he replied, taken aback by her sudden declaration. 

“Loan me some money, please. I need to get to home right now,” Kim said. To get there as fast as she needed to, she would definitely need more money than she had on her. The super-express was not cheap, after all.

-8-8-8-8-

Barkin, Ron, and other members of the GJ police squad watched as the military fired on the huge Bebe wrecking everything in its wide path. Firing on the Bebe only seemed to making it angry… and possibly bigger. The Bebe roared as a missile exploded against its massive head and then it shot several missiles in retaliation, nailing the helicopter that had shot it.

The Bebe shifted, transforming even more so than it had already done. Spikes grew out of its back, looking almost like deadly weapons themselves. Its eyes began to glow the color of blood and it screamed a deafening roar that sounded suspiciously like the word “imperfect.” 

“What the hell kind of monster Bebe is that?” Barkin wondered. He had never seen anything like it, just the size of it alone.

“This is insane! We can’t just sit back while the military loses to this thing in the middle of our damn city!” Dementor shouted. 

“Does that mean what I think it means?” Barkin asked, just to be sure he heard right. He looked ready to smile, like a child who had been told he was going to the toy store.

“I think it does,” Ron affirmed.

The two officers, as well as all of the others lined up, grabbed for weapons, mostly big guns. They opened fire on the mammoth Bebe, shooting without prejudice. The Bebe did not even seem to know it was being hit by anything, not flinching as the bullets whizzed by it like hundreds of busy flies. 

“Shit, this isn’t getting us anywhere!” Barkin snarled, even though that fact did not get him to stop firing.

He noticed a red flare in the sky as did several other people present, but they did not know the cause was from the thrusters of the green and black Knight Saber. Shego came in fists blazing and knuckle bombs ready to make her mark. The Bebe howled, as if in pain as Shego connected with its neck.

“Take that, you fucking piece of shit!” Shego snarled and then the next thing she knew, she had to dodge a monster hand trying to bat her away as if she was some kind of insect. She shot her thrusters just in time to get out of the way. “You want to dance, bastard? I’m up for it!” 

Shego came in for another hit, hand alight with her usual jade flame. Her knuckle bombs exploded on impact as always and her fire connected with the shell of the Bebe. There was a roar and the warrior smirked to herself. She saw she had actually made a hole, only to find out something rather important.

“Oh, shit! The core isn’t there!” the biker reported and she had to dodge another attack on her. 

Shego moved out of the way just in time to avoid being swatted into the ground. She came in for another attack while trying to figure out where the core might be. She was not a Bebe expert, though, so any place seemed just as good as the next to her. She hit the shoulder, hoping for some sort of result, but found she did not even put a dent in the thing there. The next thing she knew she found herself being batted into a building across the street. She dared to think that she might need some backup.

 _Kim…_ Shego groaned, but made sure to bury that in the depths of her mind. Kim had gone home and was not coming back.

-8-8-8-8-

“Yes?” Tara answered her cell phone as it kept going off. She looked like she was about to go out of her mind, as did the people around her. Her eyes focused on her computer monitor and one hand worked the keyboard. Her hair was mussed and out of place. A strand of sweat rolled down her cheek as her eyes scanned the screen.

“Tara, Vivian can’t get to Shego with the mobile Pit because the military has the streets blocked off!” Felix reported in his own panic. He could not believe it when Vivian reported to him that she was caught in traffic. It was a good thing he stayed behind to man the home base or else they would have nothing to go on.

“Oh, you have to be kidding me!” Tara hollered, slapping herself in the forehead. It was a good thing that he neglected to put it in the manner his aunt had or Tara probably would have hung up on him.

“Not to mention, Shego is getting her ass pounded! She can’t find the core on that giant Bebe,” he added. 

“Shit!” Tara hissed. She did not know it, but Felix made a shocked face when he heard her swear. She popped up from her computer to look around the room. “Has anybody got the design for this Bebe yet?” she screamed to any of her coworkers that would answer. Everyone bolted around her, rushing for answers. They were essentially trying to do the same thing as she was, namely find any weak points of that Bebe rampaging through the city.

“Gemini Corp won’t release the goddamn designs because it’s a fucking military Bebe!” came the response.

“Shit!” Tara repeated. It could easily become her favorite word today. She had to do something or Shego would be a memory, along with a lot of her coworkers and the rest of the city. “Fuck it,” she decided. 

“Tara?” a fellow operator said. She had not heard Tara use so many swear words before, so she thought the pressure might be getting to the hyper blond.

“I’m going to have to hack into the Pentagon to get the specs for this thing,” Tara decided. 

“What! You can’t do that!” her comrade objected. “It’s illegal!”

“I have to do it. You better turn you head and pretend you don’t see anything because I’m going in,” Tara declared and she turned her attention to her monitor with new vigor. Her fingers worked like they were charged with lightning and her eyes did not blink. _Shego, please, be okay_ , she silently prayed. She just needed Shego to hang on for a little while. 

-8-8-8-8-

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Shego huffed as she came in for another hit to the giant, mechanical beast that was the berserker Bebe. “Where the fuck is the core?” she growled.

“Tara’s looking for the core and so am I,” Felix reported, hoping to calm the lone Saber down. He tried to figure out where the hell the core could possibly be hidden on such a monster.

“You’re not looking fast enough!” Shego roared as she was batted away again, crashing into a pile of rubble.

The biker leaped back up to her feet and was on the machine again in the blink of an eye. She went in for a kick, which missed, and the Bebe reached, grabbing her with a powerful grip. Shego screamed in pain as the Bebe proceeded to crush her. Shots from the discombobulated GJ forces rang against the monster’s hand, causing it to drop Shego. She turned in the direction of the shots and saw Barkin aiming his huge gun at the Bebe.

“Get the hell out,” Shego growled to herself and then she went back to work on trying to locate the core. She checked her gauges and saw some bad news. “Fuck, my batteries are almost out!” she reported. The usually pulsing electric charge on her back was now a thin line. 

“Damn it, Shego, just get out of there then,” Vivian commanded. Regret could be heard in her voice as she gave that order.

“I’m not going anywhere! Fucking Bebe isn’t beating me! Now, Felix, where the fuck is the core on this damn thing?” Shego demanded. 

“I don’t have anything and Tara hasn’t contacted me yet!” Felix replied, wanting to tear his own hair out. There was no way Shego was going to make it through the battle without that information and there was no way that she was going to retreat apparently. He did not know what to do.

Felix searched frantically between monitors when heavy footfalls caught his attention. He turned to look in the doorway and grinned at the sight. Kim leaned against the doorframe, panting and eyeing him intensely.

“Get ready to launch me,” Kim stated. 

“Of course,” Felix replied with a smile. Kim ran off to suit up and then to make things even better, Tara called him back. 

“I got in!” Tara cheered to the point that her coworkers all flinched at how loud she was. She quickly sent the data to Felix when she noticed all of the attention on her. One of her coworkers looked over her shoulder.

“You really hacked the Pentagon?” the operator asked in disbelief.

“I thought you didn’t see anything?” she asked with an amused smirk. “Shit, I need to get this out quick before I get kicked out of the damn system,” she muttered more to herself than anyone else. “I got it!” she laughed loudly and she would have danced if she had the time to do so. 

“Are you going to send it to the front or keep bragging?” her coworker teased.

“Right!” Tara squeaked. She made sure the information got to Felix before she started sending it out to the GJ forces on the front lines. 

Tara got her own bit of good news as she watched the scene showing the Bebe face off with the GJ officer. She saw a familiar streak coming in. Her eyes went wide as the familiar white and blue suit came into view. Kim was back!

“Yes!” Tara giggled madly, earning strange looks from her coworkers.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim came flying into the scene, waving something Shego desperately required. The green Knight Saber leaped into the air while ejecting her almost dead battery from her back. Kim came by, caught the old battery while turning to put the new battery in place. The two landed on nearby rooftops; the whole exchange looked like a choreographed danced routine.

“You gotta get that watch fixed, Princess. You’re always so damn late,” Shego remarked, a smile could be heard in her voice.

“Aw, sounds like you were waiting for me,” Kim teased, grinning behind her own visor.

“Nah, I was just sure you gave up and went crying home to your mommy.” 

“Can’t leave just yet. A certain bitchy biker still owes me lunch.”

“Whatever. Let’s get to this!” Shego declared.

Kim nodded and the pair took off. They came in from opposite ends, knuckle bombs exploding against the monster Bebe from both suits. Suddenly, Kim went wild on the thing, trying to hit it with everything but the kitchen sink and it focused on her, hoping to get her away.

A light bulb went off in Shego’s head and landed on the Bebe, making her way to its back. She tore into the thing with her plasma-charged claws, ripping into the body with renewed vitality. She smirked to herself as she found her query. 

“Peek-a-boo,” Shego chuckled as she found the core. She flared her hands as she heard Kim yelp in pain. When that sound hit her ears, her hands flared higher and she gauged her knuckle bombs at full power before punching straight through the core of the Bebe. There was a flash of light and then a huge explosion. Everyone around had to cover their eyes briefly.

Shego retreated to a rooftop as the Bebe fell, causing the ground to shake. Kim joined her. Shego breathed a sigh that sounded much like one of relief while Kim just looked at her. Shego straightened herself out, eyeing the redhead for a little while, too.

“Let’s get out of here,” Shego suggested. Kim nodded and they were gone on that note. 

-8-8-8-8- 

“Wow, Will, you’re a great cook!” Tara declared from her seat at a long table that was set up by Vivian’s pool. The Knight Saber team was celebrating their victory with a big meal at Vivian’s place. Will, the butler, brought in more food, setting it down in front of the Tara, who dived right into it.

“Keep eating like that, Tara, and you’re not going to fit into your hard suit,” Vivian remarked with a smile.

“Don’t worry about me! I have a high metabolism,” Tara replied. 

“Not to mention, whenever she hangs out with Kim, she gets the workout of a lifetime,” Felix added. He was next to Tara while Vivian at the head of the table and the other two Knight Sabers on the other side.

“No one asked for comments from the peanut gallery!” Tara huffed and pretended to slap him. 

Felix laughed a bit and put his hands up to block against hit that barely landed. “So, Tara, how the hell did you manage to hack the Pentagon?” he inquired, figuring the change of subject would get her to stop. He was right.

“I used this virus I was cooking up,” Tara answered.

“Is that okay to do?” Kim asked because it did not sound quite all right.

“Hell, no, it’s not!” Tara laughed. “God, they’re probably still trying to fix the mess I made!” She actually appeared to be quite amused by what she did. It was an accomplishment in her eyes… as well as many of her coworkers who “didn’t see anything.”

“Can’t they trace it back to you or something like that?” Shego inquired with an arched eyebrow. It seemed just like Tara to do something cool, only to have to leave her signature on the crime.

“You should know better than to worry about Tara’s hacking. She hacks better than she breathes,” Vivian quipped with a smile. “She tore into my systems pretty good when we first met. I’m still trying to figure out how she made it past all of my security.”

“Getting past your system was nothing compared to hacking the damn Pentagon. I might have achieved the highest level of hacking-ness with that. But, I really didn’t get a chance to cover up like I was supposed to. I doubt it matters, though. I mean, I doubt they’d ever suspect a GJ police officer of doing that.” Tara dismissed the whole matter with a wave of her hand. Her job was the perfect cover for almost everything she did. Who would suspect a GJ officer of hacking the government or being a vigilante Knight Saber? 

The group could not help laughing at Tara’s nonchalance to the whole matter, but then again that was how Tara was. Tara laughed, too, before turning her attention back to her meal. Once the laughter died down, Vivian turned her attention to Kim.

“Did you have a good time visiting your home?” Vivian asked.

Kim nodded. “It was good to visit, but that’s not my home anymore. My home is here, in Mega-Go city,” she replied with confidence and then she turned to Shego. “Thanks,” she said suddenly.

Shego’s face scrunched up from confusion for a brief moment, obviously not getting why she was being thanked. “Why?” she accidentally asked. 

Kim just smiled at her. It was the best thing for her to do because she doubted tat she could explain it. Hell, she was not totally sure why she was thanking the biker. Maybe it was because Shego provided her with a challenge, something to push her, which was something she thrived on. Shego seemed to get it, though, because she smiled and nodded back. Kim’s face brightened. Yes, she certainly was home.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Tara gets closer to Felix and gets a bit curious about him and his aunt. Vivian goes in search for help as she realizes what Drakken is up to.


	14. “The Way You Like It”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; they belong to Disney. I don’t own this concept; it came from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> This chapter title is from a song by Adema.

 

14: “The Way You Like It” 

Gemini was not a happy man… not that he ever seemed like a happy man. He brooded as usual in his dark office. He caressed his shaking Pepe with his good hand while waiting for a certain employee of his to come into the office with some answers. Something was wrong and he did not like it when there were bumps in his plans. Bumps in his plans meant he would have to do something others might find irrational. 

 _Like making sure your sister loses an eye?_ his mind asked him, as if it did not know what he did when things did not go his way. He shook his head. No, when things did not go his way, he was more irrational than that. He did things that were just a little crazy. “Like destroying my sister’s hopes and dreams, even when she isn’t a threat to me anymore,” he said aloud.

He shook those thoughts away, partially disgusted he even acknowledged his sister was a threat at one point in time. _It’s not like that_. He just needed to make sure she knew he was superior. She always refused to acknowledge that and he put her in her place.

He shook the thoughts away again, not wanting to get sidetracked. He would rather not think about the past and focus on the future. After all, the past was dead, gone, and he had come out on top, so he was not about to allow his future to crumble right before his eye. He had fought too hard and too long for everything to go wrong now.

He was taken from his rambling thoughts as Drakken entered the office. Drakken was grumbling to himself and frowning deeply as he came in. The frown remained as he stood before his boss. Drakken silently resented the size of the short male’s desk and office in general. It was like being summoned into a dark throne room.

“You called for me?” Dr. Drakken inquired, barely disguising his annoyance. He folded his arms across his chest and squinted just a little at Gemini.

“I called for you almost ten minutes ago. Where the hell were you?” Gemini growled. The little bit of patience he had was long gone. He was not interested in exchanging anything that resembled pleasantries. He just wanted the answers to his questions and then he wanted Drakken out of his sight.

“I was working on something,” Drakken answered through gritted teeth. He would like to get back to his work, too.

“You work for me, doctor. I don’t think I have to remind you,” Gemini stated in a smooth, but cruel tone, knowing he was getting to the scientist with those words. He leaned back in his chair, a smug look in his jet black eye. 

Drakken growled as his scowl turned into a full fledge sneer, looking like he wished for nothing more than to set his boss on fire with his mind. He bit back the words he wished to say. He was so close to his goal, he was not about to let anger screw him out of what he believed was his destiny. Taking a deep breath and calming down, he was sure he could stand Gemini’s attitude for a few more minutes as long as he continued to think about what he was going to do to his boss later on in life.

“Now, I want to know about that military Bebe. Why the hell are there military Bebes even being made?” Gemini demanded.

Gemini had never given the okay for military Bebes to be on the market. There was a reason for that, but it would seem that his company made moves without his knowledge. This was once again screwing up his plans. He would not allow that. He did not want to give the government any reason to start poking around his operation, so he needed to know about the military contract in order to work on a way out of it before it slipped him up in someway. And, no, he was not being paranoid, like he knew most people would insist he was.

“There was a contract between the military before you took over the company,” Drakken answered. Well, that was what someone on his team told him anyway. He did not make it a point to keep up with such nonsense. He was a scientist, after all. He thought it was a good thing that the military had Bebes, but that was for personal reasons and he did not see the need to share.

“A contract before me?” Gemini decided he would look into that. He shifted gears then, wanting to get into another matter that was driving him to distraction. “Why the hell did the media actually cover that Bebe going out of control?”

Drakken shrugged. He could not figure out why the hell Gemini kept asking him about these things. Yes, he was the head of the Bebe division of the company, which made him in charge of a huge chuck of the place, but he was a scientist. He did not keep up with everything else aside from the production of the Bebes. He had people who kept him in the loop about things going around the company and people who did special little jobs for him to keep certain things quiet.

“You never know anything. Why do I even keep you around?” Gemini wondered aloud.

“Because I’m one of the few people alive who can keep the Bebes going. You know how complicated they are and I’m the only one that you know that can maintain them,” Drakken answered smugly. Despite it all, Gemini needed him and it would be like for as long as Gemini needed the Bebes.

“I wasn’t looking for an answer,” Gemini snarled, fury burning in his eye. 

“I know, but you know that the Bebes is what keep this company going. Now, the Bebe went berserk, yes, but we’re working on figuring out why that was. You don’t have to worry about the media covering it because soon we’ll have figured out the problem and have fixed it. This will all be a bad dream,” Drakken said.

“You better fix it,” Gemini huffed, pointing a threatening — and fully loaded — finger at the scientist. 

Drakken nodded. “Is that all?” he asked in a clipped tone.

“For now,” Gemini dismissed Drakken with a wave of his metallic hand.

Drakken wasted no time exiting the office. Once he was in the safety of the elevator, he shook his head in regards to his shortsighted boss. He knew Gemini did not see the value of the Bebes completely, which he figured was because Gemini was not a scientist or even an engineer. Drakken supposed it was good Gemini had taken over the company and not his sister. Drakken knew the younger sibling would have figured out the brilliance behind the Bebes and possibly used them in the way they should be used. Gemini was just using the Bebes as a tool for a finished product instead of the finished product.

 _Idiot_ , Drakken insulted his boss in his mind as he got off of the elevator and went to his office.

His office was the envy of many of the offices in the building, especially with the wonderful view that he got looking out into the water of the Go Bay. He did not believe the office or the view did his genius justice, though. He frowned, throwing himself into his cushioned leather chair.

“There’s no reason Gemini can fit about five of my office in his. I should have an office the same size. And the way he always throws it in my face by calling me into there over every little thing. I’ll show him. I’ll show everyone what Bebes can do,” Drakken grumbled.

He booted up his computer and stared at the screen with a frown. He wondered where in the world _it_ could possibly be. He had tried narrowing it down, but he knew from everything he had already done he would be searching forever if he continued doing things this way. He got a thought as he remembered Gemini’s whining about the military Bebe. 

“I thought for sure I’d be able to do it with that military Bebe. Instead, it went haywire just like the rest of them. It might’ve gone crazy even faster than the others. I need _it_ and, for me to get _it_ , I need to find the lab. Where could the lab be?” Drakken asked as he continued to stare at his computer screen, brow furrowed as he sat in deep thought. 

As he thought about the Bebes, his mind wandered to the Knight Sabers. After all, where there was a berserker Bebe, the Knight Sabers were never too far behind. They were there the ones to bring down the Bebes. The Knight Sabers were always there.

“The Knight Sabers. They’re always first on the scene. I dangle a little bit of bait in front of them and they show up like clockwork. There has to be some way that I can use them without them knowing it,” Drakken muttered. He was sure he could figure out how to use those armor-wearing vigilantes to find it, but he was not sure how just yet. He knew he would think of something, though. He was a genius after all.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara kept herself busy checking up on Vivian’s computer systems. She just wanted to make sure the security was top notch as always. She also wanted to do it before Vivian asked her about it because Vivian would pester her indefinitely until she dropped everything to make sure the system was all right. She sometimes wondered if Vivian was a queen in a past life from the way the she acted.

Tara did not mind the maintenance once she started. It was just getting her started that was the problem. But, now, she was into things and she had snacks to tide her over. So, she was definitely in her happy place.

“Tara?” Felix called as he appeared in the doorway.

Tara jumped from the break in her silence and turned to see who disturbed her. Her heart had jumped into her throat, but she relaxed when she saw it was just Felix. While her body tried to catch up with that information, she threw on an anxious smile.

“Hey, Felix,” Tara said with genuine happiness that brought a smile to Felix’s face.

“Hey, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind me observing you for a little while. I want to learn more stuff about computers. Besides, Aunt Vivian asked me to do this first, but I couldn’t do and that’s why she got you,” Felix explained, still smiling as he spoke.

Tara shrugged, thinking nothing of it and saying nothing about his little confession. She moved her chair over a little and then turned her attention back to her job. Felix parked himself next to her, leaving a little bit of space to avoid making her uncomfortable. They were quiet for a while with her working and him watching.

The air around them was comfortable, almost soothing. Felix inched over a little closer to Tara, who did not say anything. She focused on the screen in front of her while Felix slowly became more focused on her rather than the screen. He moved over a little more after a few seconds since Tara did not say anything. Soon, he was practically at her elbow, watching her as her fingers glided across the keyboard.

She moved like the keyboard was a part of her, Felix noticed. It was something about the people around his aunt, he thought. They had a way of making extensions of themselves: Tara with computers, Betty with machines, Shego with her bike, and Kim just made it seem like the world was an extension of herself. He had never met someone so full of life and energy before; it was exhausting to watch Kim move sometimes. He got that feeling right now with Tara and the console.

“You must really like computers, huh?” Felix said.

Tara yelped and nearly jumped out of her skin for the second time that day. She had not realized how close Felix was. As she turned to face him, she basically fell into the sky. His deep, blue gaze practically mesmerized her. Then, she realized that she was staring.

Blinking, Tara quickly turned away, feeling a hot blush stain her cheeks. She did not notice Felix also looked away. A pink flush invaded his cheeks while he noted what lovely baby blue eyes Tara possessed. He felt like he could get lost in them forever.

“You know, you need to stop kidding around and learn how to do this!” Tara barked, trying to get over her embarrassment.

“Uh — yes!” Felix agreed for lack of a better thing to say. He now felt embarrassed not just for staring, but for not being able to do what she did.

“I shouldn’t have to waste my time doing things that your aunt ask you to do in the first place!” Tara huffed, now laying it on thick since she started. Never mind the fact that this was her job before Felix came along and she really enjoyed updating the systems to keep them protected.

“You’re right,” he agreed again.

“I mean, if you’re so good at fixing stuff, why can’t you do regular computer maintenance?”

Felix was not sure that logic worked, so he decided not to answer. Tara seemed to be done with her tirade and now allowed what she said to sink in. She balked and looked a little terrified, putting her hands over her mouth for a few seconds.

“I am so sorry! That was all so rude of me!” Tara apologized, slowly moving her hands to go back to the computer keyboard. _Oh, he’s going to think I’m an ass!_

Felix blinked hard from her sudden change. He started laughing really hard. One moment Tara was a little spitfire, the next she was a polite and thoroughly embarrassed young woman. It was too much for him, so he could not help laughing.

Tara frowned and was about to ask what was so funny. Instead of getting indignant because he seemed to be laughing at her, Tara started chuckling, too. Maybe he realized she had panicked and it was a little funny. After a couple of seconds, they were both laughing rather hard.

“Come on, let’s finish this up,” Tara said after almost a minute of giggles filled the office-like room.

Felix nodded. They went back to work with Felix paying just a little more attention to the computer than to Tara that time around. His eyes did wander every once and a while, checking her out from what she could tell. A small smile curled onto Tara’s lips as she continued on with maintenance.

The pair went their separate ways once Tara was done. They departed the office with slight blushes on their faces for reasons they could not figure out. They tried not to think about it.

Tara went home and showered. She then tossed herself on to her bed while grabbing one of her many laptops. She mostly spent her money on computers and computer equipment. Most people would never guess just how much she knew about computers. Hell, most people would never guess how much she knew in general.

“It was nice hanging out with Felix. I wonder why Vivian never mentioned him before. He’s a nice kid and everything,” Tara sighed.

She referred to him as a “kid” mostly because she did not know his real age. She guessed he was about her and Kim’s age, but she could not know for sure. He never hinted to how old he was and Vivian never mentioned it. 

But, then again, Vivian never said much about anything. They did not even know she had a nephew until he showed up. _He’s sweet_. She could see some of Vivian in him, but he thankfully lacked the mood swings that his aunt possessed.

“I wish he’d talk more about himself…” Tara muttered to herself. 

Her fingers wandered along with her mind, typing things into her computer. She glanced down to see what she was doing and was actually surprised to see that she looked up information on Felix. She shrugged and figured it was a good place to start. She wanted to know more about him, after all, and it did not seem like he or his aunt would say much. 

The first thing Tara noticed on the page that came up was a picture. Her face scrunched up in confusion as she stared at it. Felix was seated in his wheelchair with two blond women flanking him. According to the captions underneath, they were Doctor Vivian Porter and Doctor Rebecca Renton with Felix Renton. Vivian was clearly much younger in the picture, but Felix looked exactly the same. Tara glanced at the date and saw it was taken almost ten years ago.

Tara’s brow furrowed and her eyes went wide. “What the hell?” she blurted out.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian sat at her computer, strolling through places she was not supposed to with a drink to the side of her. She glanced at the drink, her third of the night. She briefly wondered when her drinking her gotten so bad, but she dismissed that as something caught her eye.

“What the hell is this?” Vivian wondered aloud and then she reached for her drink. She took a gulp as she read on.

Her breathing increased as she tumbled through the hidden files. Her eyes widened as she read on. She slapped her drink on the counter, shattering her glass and cutting her hand.

“That bastard! He couldn’t possibly just move those engineers from the Dragon Line to look for the lab. The lab is gone! It’s gone!” Vivian screamed at the screen as her body started shaking. 

She shook her head. _No, that lab’s gone_ , she mentally tried to assure herself. It was dead and buried, as it should be. It had to be.

“Who the hell would be stupid enough to look for _that_ _thing_?” she growled.

She shook her head. Of course, _he_ would be stupid enough to look for that thing. She could still remember how proud he looked when _it_ was completed and how smug he looked that time _it_ … She shook her head, trying her best not to think about it anymore. It haunted her memory… but, then again, most of that time haunted her. _Ghosts surround me with screams and blood and terror_. It would always be so.

“I can’t let him do that. I have to do something before that lunatic kills us all,” Vivian stated, making a fist with her injured hand. She did not even wince as her blood poured from her clenched hand.

-8-8-8-8-

Felix made it to Betty’s garage early in the morning. It was a little chilly. He could see his breath. The sun was barely up, but he was an earlier rise… and a night owl as well. He just did not require that much sleep.

He rolled into the back of the shop where Betty stayed. He shook his head as he caught sight of his mentor. Betty was passed out on the sofa with an empty alcohol bottle in her hand as well as a couple of other bottles on the floor. With a sigh, he just stared at her for a while.

“Do they all carry this pain?” he wondered. He was not even sure who he meant by “they.” He wondered if he should even include himself in “they.”

He shook his head. This time to clear his mind of such thoughts, figuring it was a bad time to start being a philosopher. He made his way over to Betty and started nudging her awake. Betty grumbled in her sleep, taking heavy swipes at the air, hoping to get whoever was bugging her to go away. 

“Hey, it’s time to open up,” Felix said.

“Go away!” Betty snarled.

Felix chuckled. “Aunt Vivian had the same reaction when I woke her up this morning. You two drink too much,” he chastised her, going so far as to shake a finger at her. She had her eye closed, so she did not see the finger wag.

Betty grunted because of her anger. “There’s no such thing,” she muttered. Hell, most of the time, she did not think there were enough hours in the day for her to get enough drinking done.

“Of course there is. Come on, I’ll make some coffee and we can start opening up,” Felix said with a smile that could be heard his voice.

Betty growled, but that did not stop Felix. He had already gone through this all once today anyway with his aunt. He had woken Vivian up from a drunken stupor. Actually, she was passed out on her sofa, too. Will had helped him take care of Vivian and get her ready for the day. She was surprisingly energetic once she was showered and caffeinated, moving as if she had a purpose. Felix doubted that bit of history would repeat itself with Betty, but he was confident he could at least get her to work.

Once Betty was showered and caffeinated, she was still grouchy, but he noticed she was almost constantly that way. Betty got to work with the few items around her desolate, out-of-the-way garage. Felix always wondered why Betty had chosen such a spot to set up her business. Not helping matters, it was in a relatively bad neighborhood too. He was surprised that she ever had business.

“You sure do like working on machines,” Felix commented as Betty worked on a pickup truck.

Betty shrugged. “It’s a living.”

“I doubt it. I mean, you show everything special attention. It doesn’t matter if it’s a hard suit or even this old truck. You treat them all the same.” Felix patted the rusted pickup gently.

The one-eyed woman did not respond. Felix expected as much and silently went back to assisting Betty. She was focused, but he could tell her eye looked beyond her work. He sighed again. It always seemed like Betty was looking through everything. He wondered where she looked and what she saw, but he had a feeling he did not want to know. After all, his aunt had a similar haunted look and he knew at least some of the reasons behind that. Some was too much as far as he was concerned.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian made her way through the busy downtown area of Mega-Go City. She navigated the streets like a shark, moving with a purpose through a sea of people. She strolled into an alleyway, off of the crowded main street. She did not seem concerned about the danger that more than likely lurked in the narrow, filthy passageway. 

She ignored the sound of clanging trashcans that did not sound too far away. She walked up to a dusty metal door at the end of the alley and knocked. It would have stunned anyone that the sound of her small, delicate fist hitting the thick, heavy metal could be heard by anyone, but the door opened seconds later. 

“Hello!” a disembodied voice that sounded female rang out into the dimly lit area.

Vivian chuckled. “Hello,” she replied to the air as far as she knew.

Vivian wondered who — or what — she was speaking to. The door closed behind her as she stepped inside. There was no one there to open or shut the door and that did not surprise her.

She took a moment to look around what she was aware was an appliance repair shop. The place was small and dark, as if it was closed. It could possibly be closed. Vivian was not sure if the store had regular hours or enough customers to remain open anyway.

“Are you here for the doctor?” another disembodied voice asked. This one made it clear where it was coming from as a light from a radio came on. 

Vivian smiled and approached the radio. “I am looking for Doctor Freeman. Where is he?” she asked in a polite voice, as if she did not find it weird to be talking to a radio at all.

“The doctor is downstairs in his workshop.”

Vivian nodded and looked at the back of the shop where there was a counter. The counter moved to the side, revealing a case of stairs. Vivian wasted no time going back there and down the stairs. She walked down a long corridor and came to another door. She knocked again, but the door did not open that time. 

Vivian could hear voices in the next room, so she decided to let herself in. “Hello? Doctor Freeman?” she called as she stepped into the room. It was much better lit than any of the other spaces in the place.

“Who’s there?” Doctor Freeman inquired as he spun around from his workbench. 

“Doctor Freeman, it’s me,” Vivian replied with a small smile.

“Doctor Porter! It’s been a while!” the middle-aged scientist remarked with a grin as he got a good look at her. 

“I’m glad you remembered me,” Vivian commented. She meant that literally. He was a little absent-minded last time she checked.

“Of course I remember you. You’re just as beautiful as always, too. How’s that pretty sister of yours?” Doctor Freeman inquired.

Vivian stopped breathing thanks to the question. She felt a pain take over her throat and chest. She did not need to say anything; her expression said it all. Doctor Freeman offered his condolences.

“She didn’t make it out in time…” Vivian whispered. 

“A lot of people didn’t make it out in time,” he added.

“That’s one of the reasons I’m here. Drakken is looking for _it_.” 

Doctor Freeman eyes went wide eyes and his eyebrows shot up high on his head. “Drakken? That blue maniac?”

She nodded. “He’s looking for the lab. I know he is. He’s going to find _it_ and let _it_ out.”

“We can’t let that happen,” Doctor Freeman stated with conviction that Vivian could feel in her bones. She nodded. No, they could not let Drakken find that lab.

-8-8-8-8- 

Shego was at Betty’s garage. Betty was bent over, inspecting Shego’s motorcycle. Felix was helping, of course, while also noticing Shego’s eyes did not seem to be locked on the bike as he thought they should. After all, he knew Shego cared very much about her motorcycle, but her eyes seemed to be much more concerned with something else very close to the motorcycle. He furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out what that something else was and then a blush stained his cheeks as he finally linked where Shego’s eyes were.

“You ride the thing too damn hard,” Betty grumbled. 

“It can take it. It’s a tough bike,” Shego answered with a shrug.

“Ridden by a tough idiot,” the one-eyed woman commented. 

Shego had the nerve to look proud of that. Before she could make a comeback to that, noise distracted them all. Ears picked up on approaching footsteps and eyes all focused out to the front of the garage. They were all surprised to see Tara walking toward them.

“Hi!” Tara greeted them all with a brilliant smile and an enthused wave.

Felix was the only one to smile and wave back. Hell, Betty did not even seem to care about Tara’s sudden appearance as she turned her attention back to her work. Shego craned an eyebrow to Tara’s presence. 

“Never see you around these parts,” Shego commented.

Tara shrugged, trying her best to be nonchalant. “I didn’t have anything better to do.”

“This is great! You can show me those other things you were talking about with the computer!” Felix grinned as he sped off to go get his laptop computer.

Tara raised her hand as if she was about to stop him, but Felix was already gone. She sighed and her shoulders slumped in defeat. Shego kept her eyebrow arched as she took in the younger woman. The biker knew something was up and she was not interested in guessing what. 

“Okay, now you can show me everything!” Felix declared, still grinning up a storm as he returned with his laptop tucked underneath one arm.

“Uh…” Tara squirmed. “Maybe later, Felix. I really want to talk to Shego right now.”

Felix’s whole demeanor fell at those words. His expression pretty much hit the dusty floor and he almost dropped his computer. Shego looked at him and then she looked at Tara.

“What the hell do you want to talk to me about?” Shego wondered aloud. She would not have thought much of it since Tara was not below teasing her or trying to talk her into something crazy, but this was totally different. Tara had sought her out and looked so sullen and serious.

“I just… I need to talk to you,” Tara insisted.

Shego shrugged and Tara marched away. Shego followed, not sure why they needed to walk off to have a conversation. Betty glanced up, watching them go. Felix’s face fell even more as Tara strolled off. 

“Hey, get to work,” Betty ordered.

“Right!” Felix replied and tried to lift his spirits as he began assisting his mentor.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego and Tara wandered off pretty far with Tara not saying a word. Eventually, they ended up in front a convenient store. Tara ducked in to get some sugar, knowing it would help put her at ease. She came back out with a honey bun hanging from her mouth and a bottle of orange soda in her hand. 

“You gonna talk to me or just get a sugar high?” Shego asked with a frown.

“Um… I was wandering… what do you know about Vivian?” Tara inquired, giving the singer a sidelong glance.

Shego’s eyebrow went up again. She wondered if she should just staple it to the top of her forehead whenever Tara was nearby. She eyed Tara as if she was trying to figure out what the blonde was. And then she found her mind asking, what did she know about Vivian? It was a valid question.

-8-8-8-8- 

Next time: more on Vivian’s past and the Knight Sabers shift their mission a little.


	15. “Stir it Up”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; they belong to Disney. I don’t own this concept; it came from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title is a song by Bob Marley.

 

15: “Stir it Up”

Vivian sat in front of a computer screen the size of a small movie screen with a man by the name of Doctor Freeman. He worked the keyboard with lightning fast fingers. Different levels and structures of a topographic map of the underground came up on screen. Their eyes shifted from each and they watched carefully as they went through each map.

Doctor Freeman smiled a bit. “Now, I will admit Doctor Drakken is a brilliant man as far as science goes, but he’s not as brilliant as the two of us put together.”

Vivian scoffed. “I doubt he’s really as brilliant as one of us, but somehow the insanity gives him the push he needs to just go over the top.” She could only hope her own madness had helped her in such a way. 

He nodded. “You might be onto something there. If he’s searching…”

“Here, I can bring up the places he’s been looking into,” Vivian offered.

She commandeered the keyboard without requesting permission and proceeded to pull up private files. Doctor Freeman did not say anything about the move and let the woman work. He focused on what she put in front of him. Their faces both tensed into expressions of sheer concentration. 

“All right, so these are Drakken’s recent moves?” Doctor Freeman asked, dragging his index finger over the things she pulled up.

“This is what I can gather,” she answered. 

“So, he’s taken control of the crews working on the Dragon Line and has his own separate group looking for the lab, huh? But, if these moves mean anything, he’s got to search this whole area.” Doctor Freeman circled a large space with his index finger.

“That’s a lot of space to search,” Vivian muttered. 

“I think we should be able to narrow this down.” Doctor Freeman took back the keyboard and went to work. “I can’t believe they’re actually doing this stupid Dragon Line. They’ve taken that company so far off the path it was supposed to be on.” 

“I don’t think they care.” 

“No, I don’t suppose they do. Drakken is toying with demons and Gemini is trying to play God. It’s a horrible combination and they’re tugging the company to the Hell is used to be in.”

“It never left Hell,” Vivian whispered, but she supposed that was part of the problem. “And we were the demons…” 

Doctor Freeman was silent, but he nodded. They both let a moment of quiet pass between them, trying to fight back old ghosts. They were able to put the thoughts out of their heads, but they knew the ghosts never left. They were haunted, forever haunted.

“Maybe this could redeem us just a little, huh?” Doctor Freeman remarked, half-a-smile tugged at his lips. His eyes were full of hope.

“Maybe it could do a little something,” Vivian hoped. She was not sure if she would ever feel truly redeemed. She doubted he would ever feel that way either. They were damned. 

“Now, I can see why Drakken keeps missing what he’s looking for,” Doctor Freeman said and that put them back on track. He pointed to a place on the map.

“He miscalculated the shift…” Vivian realized with a smile.

“Gotta love that man. If there’s a small detail, he will certainly miss it. Now, since his math is off, he’ll be searching a lot longer while I should be able to narrow this down to a few key spots,” Doctor Freeman said.

Vivian decided not to mention the fact that Doctor Freeman was known to miss small details, too, but then again, he was very different from Doctor Drakken. Doctor Freeman was likely to miss a small detail in real life, but never in his work. Drakken was good for missing both, especially at important times.

“Okay… if this works… the lab could anywhere out of these places,” Doctor Freeman announced as dots began to light up on his map.

“That looks about right,” Vivian concurred.

“We put so much time into that. I can’t believe what a mistake it turned out to be. I mean, I really thought we were all doing the greatest thing ever and we’d go down in history as some of the greatest scientists ever, the saviors of mankind. Instead, we played God and created the devil,” Doctor Freeman muttered, shaking his head in disappointment.

“Perhaps, like God, our work is capable of both good and bad. I can tell you personally that what we did was not pure evil,” Vivian tried to assure him. _If only they all knew just how good it could turn out_. It just had to be put in the right hands and the right hearts. 

“Even so, this is my penance. I pray you know what you’re doing,” he commented.

“You certainly seem religious all of a sudden,” she noted with a hint of a smile.

“Everyone needs something to latch onto during trying times. I’m sure you know that.” 

Vivian was quiet. The thing she wished to latch on was busy gripping something else. Until her lifesaver floated back her way, she was going to latch onto other things, probably bad things. And from there, she would continue her penance.

“I’ll help you get something to check these areas,” Doctor Freeman proposed.

“Actually, I should be fine with that on my own,” she answered. Well, not really on her own, but she did not need him to put his time into it.

“Then what else should I do? I mean, I know this isn’t it. Besides, this wasn’t even much help,” he pointed out, motioning to the screen. 

“I do need more from you, Doctor. I mean, if it’s not too much bother.” An angelic smile lit up her features. 

He laughed. “Of course it’s not a bother for a fellow robotics expert. I have just as much to make up for as anyone else. So many people…” He shook his head and his expression grew somber.

“It’s the least we could do,” she muttered, speaking both of their thoughts aloud. 

-8-8-8-8- 

Shego was with Tara, looking out from a dilapidated overpass onto an equally broken street. Shego thought while Tara was waiting. Tara was waiting to find out what Shego knew about Vivian, but from the silence she could already guess the response to the question.

“So, what do you know about Vivian?” Tara asked again.

“Not much,” Shego admitted with a shrug. She supposed it should bother her, knowing next to nothing about the woman who employed them as armored vigilantes, but it did not. Hell, Vivian knew just as much about her, after all. “Why do you ask?” she countered.

Tara shrugged that time. “Just curious, I guess. I mean, what do any of us know about her? We met her about the same time and we still don’t now a damn thing about her. How did you meet her, anyway?” Her eyebrows knitted close together, curiosity sparkling, much dimmer than usual, in her eyes.

“You know me, in one bit of trouble, out of another. She saw me arguing with some cops…” Shego paused, editing the story in her mind before she continued. “Let’s just say she saw a spark in me,” she smirked.

Tara chuckled a bit. “Saw a spark in you, huh? Isn’t that a pretty reckless thing to do with the cops?”

Shego shrugged once again. It was either show her talent that day or end up in jail. If she was in jail, then her brothers would have starved to death. Besides, she was not going to let anyone, even the police — or _especially_ the police — push her around.

“You’re wild,” Tara commented, shaking her head.

A snort escaped Shego. “You just noticed?”

Tara rolled her eyes. “So, you sure you don’t know anything about Vivian? I mean, do you know anything about her childhood or her mysterious sister or anything?”

“No more than she knows about mine,” the pale woman answered.

“Nothing about her past? Where she went to school and crap like that?”

“I don’t care about that stuff. I’m not trying to write a biography on the damned woman. Hell, I barely try to hold a conversation with her. She pays me well and that’s all I give a damn about,” Shego stated.

Tara’s brow furrowed. “You ever wonder where she gets all the money?”

“Nope. Probably a dead, rich uncle. Or, knowing Vivian, she married a crazy old coot that had millions and he died, leaving everything to her,” Shego joked with a small smile on her face.

“You don’t take anything seriously, do you?” Tara huffed, balling her hands into tight, frustrated fists. She thought this would have worked, that Shego would know something, but nothing happened except Shego’s usual smart ass commentary. “Sometimes I wonder why Vivian even created the Knight Sabers. I mean, why the hell does she hate Bebes so much?” Tara said, hoping to get more conversation out of the biker.

Shego shrugged and made sure her eyes stayed on the street below them. She focused on the bland, cracked concrete as Tara once again wondered why Vivian would go through the trouble of making the Knight Sabers. Tara pondered aloud why Vivian hated Bebes with a passion; a passion that seemed close to the same disdain Shego held the robots in, Tara silently noted.

“Why’s all this crap running through your mind now?” Shego inquired curiously, glancing down at the shorter woman. They had been doing the Knight Saber thing for a couple of years now and Tara never said anything. Now, all of a sudden, Tara was like a four-year-old, questioning any and everything. It was not something Shego cared to do as long as Vivian kept handing over cash and allowed her to beat on Bebes.

Tara was about to answer, almost letting her mouth get ahead of her brain as it had a bad habit of doing. She caught herself, but Shego saw the spark in her blue eyes for just a moment. Shego remained silent, but stared at her younger partner for a long while. Tara sighed.

-8-8-8-8-

Felix and Betty worked on Shego’s motorcycle with the sun on their backs, heating up the cement in front of the garage. Felix glanced away from his work every few seconds to look out into the entranceway of the garage. Betty did not say anything until she had to request the same tool three times.

“Kid, I’m sure blondie is going to come back at some point,” Betty remarked, crouched down on her knee to get into the guts of the bike.

“Huh?” Felix’s head snapped to attention and then he turned to look down at the mechanic. “What did you say?”

“I said blondie will come back more than likely. You don’t need to keep watch.”

Felix’s face flushed and he instantly fell into a panic. “I wasn’t! I mean, I wouldn’t—”

Betty cut in before her assistant went out of his mind. “It’s none of my business. Besides, not like a kid your age shouldn’t be looking at hot girls. Just don’t let it get in the way of your job.”

“I’m sorry,” he apologized with lowered eyes and a shameful pout. 

“Don’t be sorry, just work. You can do all of that other stuff on your own time.”

Felix yelped and blushed brightly. “What other stuff? Tara’s just my friend! She’s only teaching me to do stuff with computers!” he insisted. 

“Uh-huh. There’s nothing wrong with noticing the beauty of a blond,” Betty commented in a nonchalant tone, as if she did not care about a topic that she had actually brought up.

Felix yelped, but he did not deny he had noticed Tara’s beauty. But then again, his mind started up, who would not notice the beauty of Tara? A blind man would be able to see it, he was sure of that. He was saved from having to say anything further by the next unexpected surprise of the day.

“Betty,” Vivian called out brightly as she stepped onto the garage property.

The two mechanics’ heads whipped up to see Vivian standing a couple of yards away. Betty’s expression did not betray any of her feelings, staying as bland as always. Felix, however, looked like his eyes were ready to fall out of his head.

“Aunt Vivian! What’re you doing here?” Felix inquired, shaking his head a little. It was a day of firsts for him because he certainly had never seen his elegant aunt in the greasy, rundown garage before.

“I was hoping Betty could help me with something,” Vivian replied with a small, delighted smile as her eyes shifted to Betty. It was like she was happy to just be alive, or maybe it was something else Felix could not put his finger on.

Betty shrugged as she climbed to her feet. “What do you need?” She wiped her hands on her messy coveralls. 

A teasing smile worked its way onto Vivian’s face. “I think we might have better luck at my place. The computers all work.” Betty did not so much as grace her with a muscle tick to show amusement. 

“You know, you could’ve just called. It’s dangerous around here,” the one-eyed woman grumbled. It did not help matters that the sun was beginning its descent.

Vivian’s eyes lit up and sparkled. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m a big girl now.” 

Betty only grunted. Felix looked back and forth between the pair. He was certain he missed something, but he was not sure what it was.

“Is there anything you need me to bring?” Betty asked. 

“Indeed there is. It’s one of the reasons I stopped by in person,” Vivian answered.

“I doubt it,” Betty stated. 

Vivian did not respond. The two walked off into the junkyard that Betty called a home. Felix stayed outside with Shego’s bike, as it just felt like the right thing to do. He was not sure how much time had passed before the two reemerged. He eyed them as if they were puzzles he needed to piece together. 

“Kid, you stay here with the bike. This shouldn’t take too long,” Betty informed him as she shifted a beat-up, blue duffel bag on her shoulder. Vivian was busy for a moment running her fingers through her hair, trying to straighten out any stray golden locks.

“Make sure you’re on time for dinner,” Vivian cautioned her nephew.

She leaned down to kiss Felix on the cheek. Because of the closeness, Felix was able to note something strange about his aunt’s smell. Usually, she smelled like expensive, flowery perfume, but right now, there was something mingling with that. Something that he knew very well: motor oil. Now, why would his aunt smell like motor oil? 

“Make sure you don’t hurt Shego’s bike either. I doubt even Kim in a hard suit would be able to stop her from going after you,” Vivian teased.

“I’ll be careful. Besides, I know what I’m doing,” Felix boasted with a proud smile, forgetting all about his earlier curiosities. 

Vivian laughed a bit and they were on their way. They took the short drive — it was short because of the way Vivian drove — to the Silk Android. They marched down into the Pit and Vivian went directly to her computer. She scrolled through the database while Betty dropped her duffel bag gently to the floor.

“Okay, this is the creature that was attacking Bebes and was able to neutralize the hard suits,” Vivian said as a picture came up on screen. Betty moved to go check it out. 

“I’ve seen this thing before. They had another team developing them to catch any of the malfunctioning Bebes. I was hoping to get a good look at them before, but the plan was scrapped quickly,” Betty explained.

“Let me guess, they went after all Bebes instead of just malfunctioning ones.”

“Yeah, these things never met Bebes they liked. It was expensive to maintain these just from the fact they destroyed quite a few Bebe prototypes,” Betty replied. 

Vivian shook her head. “I don’t remember any of this.”

“Wasn’t your team and they were kept totally separate from your team. There were many projects who didn’t know about each other.”

“Well, they might prove useful, after all. It was able to key onto Bebes and I want to use that with your sonar,” Vivian said.

“Sounds like that big brain is back to cooking up crazy ideas.”

Vivian could not help preening just a bit. “Well, I think this thing was finding Bebes through their unique vibrations. They give off a certain hum and frequency that this thing was able to track.”

“And you want to adjust the sonar for it to find those particular frequencies?” Betty guessed. 

“Bingo.”

Betty only watched as Vivian moved around the Pit with purpose in her step. She grabbed the duffel bag and took it over to Kim’s suit. Betty followed behind her. Vivian grabbed a nearby laptop and unzipped the duffel bag. She pulled out the contents of the bag, which appeared to be a cross between a rifle and a metal detector. Betty did not ask any questions. She could guess what Vivian was doing. 

“Don’t want her blowing up on me,” Betty muttered to herself as she watched Vivian connect the sonar to the hard suit. Both were then connected up to the laptop. Betty stared down at the screen and decided to offer up some commentary. “You know the blasted thing is only good for three hundred yards. It’ll take forever for you to search all of Go City with it.” 

“I don’t have to search all of Go City. We’ve narrowed it down to twenty-five possible locations,” Vivian replied.

“We?” Betty echoed.

“Yes, Doctor Freeman offered his assistance, his penance. With his help, we were able to do the right calculations and figure that the lab is in one of these twenty-five possible places.”

“And what’re you going to do once you find it? It’s obviously sealed well where it is,” Betty pointed out. She doubted it was so secure, though if Vivian was now going out of her way to find it, but Vivian needed to think this through before just bounding off on another adventure. 

“That maniac Drakken is looking for it. I don’t know what he thinks he’s going to do with it, but I doubt things will go according to his plan,” Vivian answered.

Betty scowled. Okay, Drakken was bad news, but that still did not explain what Vivian’s plan was. “So, what’re you going to do? After all, this was actually the best possible plan seven years ago.”

“I have something we didn’t have seven years ago, though. A gift from Doctor Freeman, also part of his penance,” Vivian replied with a smile.

Betty arched an eyebrow, but she did not say anything. Everyone had their own dragons to slay, after all.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego and Kim sat together in a Bueno Nacho. They earned a few stares, mostly based on the fact that Shego had on her biker leathers as usual and Kim wore her formal work clothing as usual. Shego sipped her soda while Kim’s eyes glanced over at the familiar shadow on the Sky Hook.

“I’ve got to get back to work now,” Kim said.

Shego shrugged. “I’m due at the studio sometime soon anyway.”

“Yeah? Well, Miss Ballin’-like-a-rock-star, next time we have lunch, you’re buying. You still owe, after all.” Kim smiled and climbed to her feet.

Shego snorted. “You’ll have to beat it out of me.” A smirk spread across her face. “Besides, it’s not my fault you’re a clumsy ass,” she retorted as she followed. She chucked her soda away into the nearest garbage as they started for the door.

“You’re amazingly cheap for someone with no bills and you make more money than I do,” Kim remarked.

Shego rolled her eyes as they hit the outside. A breeze whipped by them, which felt refreshing compared to the stale air circulating through the restaurant. They made it to Shego’s bike when Kim regarded Shego with serious olive eyes, very different from the ones that had stared at the biker throughout lunch, shining from laughter and joking around.

“I’m worried about Tara. I tried calling her last night to set up a movie night or something, but she didn’t say anything. I could tell she was distracted by her computer. I mean more so than usual. Tara never turns down a chance to watch a movie with me,” Kim explained, voice low and laced with concern.

For a moment, something sparked inside of Shego and made her tense as it tried to burn. She quickly swallowed it down and did not even bother to wonder what it was, but she acknowledged it was connected to Kim hanging out with Tara. She then regarded Kim with surprisingly soft emerald eyes. Kim was not quite as taken aback by the expression like most would be.

“She just needs some time alone. I’ll admit, I don’t know what’s going through her mind lately, but I think she just needs some time to get herself together,” Shego answered. The one time their lunch had gone from a joke-fest was when she brought up Tara, having to tell someone about Tara’s weird behavior. She was not the only one Tara was being strange with, but her encounter with Tara was much different from Kim’s since at least Kim and Tara interacted outside of the team.

“Did you talk to Vivian about what happened?” Kim inquired.

“No. Like I told Tara, I don’t care about that shit. As long as Vivian keeps handing over cash, I don’t care. We all have a past,” Shego replied.

“Some more than others,” Kim murmured. “I gotta admit, I’m a little curious why Vivian started the Knight Sabers, too. I know it seems like I’m being nosy and everything, but come on, you don’t wake up one day and just figure out you’re going to battle the forces of evil, but only in Bebe form.”

“It was probably some crazy idea she had to waste all of the money that she has,” Shego replied, as if that was enough.

“I doubt it.”

“Well, I doubt Vivian decided to do this out of the kindness of her heart or like your insane drive to help people, so I don’t know what to tell you. Vivian ain’t the hero type,” the older woman pointed out.

Kim nodded, even though she was not so sure about that. She knew Vivian started the Knight Sabers for a reason and ever since Shego told her about the run-in with Tara, it began to eat at her brain. She snapped out of it when she heard Shego’s motorcycle start up. She turned her attention to Shego, who looked ready to peel off as usual. Suddenly, the biker turned to her.

“You know, all of us became Knight Sabers for different reasons. Maybe you should just leave it at that for now,” Shego offered before speeding off.

Kim actually smiled. Shego had a point. They were all Knight Sabers for different reasons and maybe one day they would open up and share those reasons. It was not something that could be forced. She was able to go back to work with that smile on her face.

“Good lunch?” Monique asked.

“Great,” Kim answered.

“It better be since you blew me off to hang out with that scary biker chick,” Monique said, feigning annoyance.

“She’s not a scary biker. How’d you know I went to lunch with her, anyway? You left before I did to run those errands.”

“I know. I saw you on the way back. You make strange friends on your own, huh, pal?” Monique teased. “I guess I won’t judge you for dating scary bikers,” she continued on.

“Hey! We’re just friends,” Kim protested with a laugh. She then thought about her other friend, the one she was still worried about. She picked up the phone and even though she knew she would get in trouble for making a personal call on a company phone, she dialed anyway.

“Hi, Kim,” Tara’s less than cheerful voice answered the phone on the second ring.

“Hey, how are you?” Kim asked with concern. A slight frown marred her face. Tara not sounding cheerful was so weird to her ears and she did not like it.

“I’m fine. Just doing a little work before I have to head home. Look, can I call you back? I’m in the middle of something,” Tara explained.

“Uh… sure…” Kim sounded as uneasy as she felt. Tara was always up for a talk. “Talk to you later.”

“Later,” Tara said and she disconnected the call.

Tara rubbed her eyes as she turned her attention back to the computer monitor. She was at work still, but doing something that was decidedly not work. She leaned forward into the screen while typing in a search for “Vivian Porter.”

Tara browsed through the first things that came up, but something caught her eye after a few seconds of junk. She immediately went to it and sucked her teeth as she found out she needed a password. Of course, that little roadblock did not stop her and she easily gained access. A deep frown sliced though her delicate features.

“No fucking way…” Tara muttered.

-8-8-8-8-

Felix smiled as he helped Betty work on a car that was just brought into the garage. The car was in poor shape and honestly both he and his mentor were not sure how the person managed to drive it there in the first place. They did not comment on much aside from the sorry state of the automobile, but there were questions buzzing around Felix’s head.

“Uh… what did my aunt want with you?” he eventually managed to ask.

Betty shrugged. “It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Then you shouldn’t have a problem telling me,” he reasoned.

“I don’t have a problem. I just don’t feel like it.”

“She told you not to tell me, didn’t she?” He was making an accusation rather than asking a question. He frowned. “She needs to stop treating me like a child. I’m a grown man,” he declared, having the nerve to put his chin in the air.

Betty craned an eyebrow. He was a grown man? She hated to tell him, but she did not think it was very grown of him to poke his nose around his aunt’s business. Still, she decided to humor him a little.

“If you want to know so badly, why don’t you just ask you aunt, like a man?” Betty pointed out.

“You know she won’t tell me,” he huffed. Vivian never told him anything. He would not even know about the Pit or the Knight Sabers if it was not for his own curiosity.

Betty was saved from replying because something caught her attention. She raised her head and looked out into the street. Nothing caught her eye, but something was still bothering her. Felix glanced up, too, wondering what his mentor was staring at. Something did catch his eye and he smiled.

“Tara!” Felix grinned.

“Blonds always return,” Betty muttered with a light laugh that caught her assistance’s attention.

“Huh?” he asked.

“Nothing. Let’s take a break.” She walked away before he could respond. He did not say anything and decided to turn his attention to Tara, who jogged up to him.

“Hey, Felix,” Tara greeted him with a smile of her own.

“Hey,” he replied, trying his best to be cool. He swallowed down in flutter in his voice and blamed it on Betty teasing him before about Tara. “Um… would you like something to drink?”

“Sure.”

They traveled over to the vending machine not too far from where Felix was. He leaned over and hit the machine gently in a few places. Tara could not help laughing as two cans of soda dropped out of the machine. He handed one to her.

“How’d you do that?” Tara asked.

Felix smiled and shrugged. “I just have a way with these things. I’m glad you came back today.” A blush burned his face from the confession.

Tara had to fight down a blush of her own, but it won. Her cheeks were stained a dull pink. Felix craned an eyebrow, taking an interest in the color and its cause.

“Felix, can I ask you a question?” she inquired, hoping that talking would get rid of her blush.

He grinned. “Fire away!”

“I was just wondering how old you are.”

His brow wrinkled. “Why?” he asked the question on his mind. What did his age have to do with anything? Did that mean that she might be interested in him? He shook that away and chalked it up to Betty’s teasing. 

“How old are you?” she repeated.

“Seventeen,” he answered. 

“Seventeen,” she echoed absently, nodding as if that helped her take in his response. “Why did you suddenly decide to live with Vivian?”

“I just missed her, you know. I hadn’t seen her for a few years.” 

“Why so long?”

Felix looked away. “Things just happened…” he replied in a low voice.

“Did you live with your parents until moving here?” she inquired, managing to keep down her urge to throw all of her questions at him at once. She bounced on her heels a little, anxious for information.

He shook his head, causing his hair to fly a little. “No. My father died a long time ago. My mother died seven years ago.”

“So, who did you live with until you moved with Vivian?”

“Well, I actually lived with her for a while and then she sent me to live with her friend’s relatives. She said something about not being able to take care of me anymore, but she didn’t explain why. She wrote a lot and stayed in touch,” he explained, somewhat defending his aunt. He knew the Knight Sabers actually did not have a high opinion of Vivian.

Tara’s eyes warmed, feeling the affection he had for Vivian from his words. “She cares a lot about you, huh?”

“Of course. She’s my aunt.”

“You know, it’s hard thinking about Vivian in a normal light. A sister, a nephew, a family of her own she cares about and doesn’t yell at out of the blue. Was she always like that?” 

“As far as I know. She’s always tried to look out for me and my mother.”

“She was older?”

“Not by much. They were joined at the hip, I remember. My mom was only ten months younger than Vivian. She had me pretty young and thought it might hurt her future, but my dad and aunt made sure to support her. That’s the type of person my aunt is,” Felix informed Tara. 

Tara nodded. That was the type of person that Vivian never showed. There never seemed to be genuine warmth, kindness, or affection from her. Those were things kept secret, like everything else. Tara was about to start a whole new barge of questions, but Betty came back out.

“Time to go back to work,” the mechanic ordered as she continued on her way to the car. 

Felix regarded Tara with sorrowful eyes. “Sorry about having to cut this short. Tara, you shouldn’t worry about my aunt.” He bid her farewell and went back to work.

“It’s not just your aunt I’m worried about…” Tara shook her head. 

-8-8-8-8- 

Shego threw her head back as she reclined on Vivian’s lush, undoubtedly expensive leather sofa. Kim sat next to her, looking a bit more civil and eager. Tara was curled up at the far end, sulking and frowning. Vivian stepped into the room, nursing a drink.

“I’m glad you could all make this emergency meeting. I need you to do something that will be very dangerous, but I am willing to pay you double the regular amount if you do it. I need you to search underground for something,” Vivian announced in her serious, cut-to-the-matter manner that they were all used to. 

“I’m game already,” Kim chimed in with an excited spark in her eyes.

“Well, I know it wasn’t the word ‘pay’ that got your attention. Could it have been ‘dangerous’ then?” Shego teased. 

“This has to be something big if you’re willing to pay double for it,” Kim said. She was willing to bet it was something serious, too, if the grim expression in Vivian’s eyes meant anything. “So, what do we do if we find this something dangerous? Kick its butt?”

“No! I just need you to find it. The lab. I’ll take care of the rest,” Vivian replied.

“Is it _that_ lab? You know the one that produced the Bebes and got sunk in the quake?” Shego inquired. That seemed like the only lab that would interest Vivian that was lost underground.

“It is that lab. There are twenty-five possible locations for it,” Vivian confirmed with a nod.

“There was a lab that used to produce Bebes?” Kim asked with an arched eyebrow. She had not heard about that.

“It was supposed to be a secret lab, but Vivian knew quite a bit about it when we started this gig,” Shego commented. “So, is there something dangerous in this lab?” There was a spark in her emerald eyes.

“I can’t answer any more questions,” Vivian said, body suddenly trembling. There was a far away look in her eyes and tears began to gather. She quickly shook it all away, trying to keep a hold of herself. She took a long swig of her drink to keep her composure.

Shego shrugged while the other Knight Sabers looked a little disturbed. Kim and Tara partially wondered if Shego was trying to get a rise out of Vivian.

“I’ll go. I mean, I could always use more money.” Shego smirked. Obviously, this was about more than money. 

“Vivian, why isn’t Felix at this meeting? He’s as much a Knight Saber as any of us with the way he helps. How come you didn’t include him?” Tara inquired, suspicion oozing out of her voice and practically dripping from her tongue. Narrowing her gaze on their employer, she tried to force the truth out of Vivian with her glare. Not surprising, the hard stare did not even register to Vivian.

“I don’t want Felix involved in this,” Vivian barked, making it clear that anyone who decided to go against her wishes would feel her wrath.

Tara nodded, but she did not accept that. “I’m sorry, but I don’t buy that shit. Who the hell is Felix, anyway? I was digging into your past and your nephew, Felix Renten, died seven years ago with his mother. So, who the hell is that guy?” she demanded with a vein rising in her head.

Vivian shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you that,” she answered, her voice eerily calm. She took a long swig of her drink. She was running low on the burning, clear elixir and it was not numbing anything as it usually did. She would need more soon.

“I didn’t think you’d answer the question. I did more digging after that. I found out that before the big earthquake, that lab you’re so eager to look for had an incident and they called in the police. The police didn’t get there in time, though. Most of the staff was killed or maimed horribly. The owner of the Gemini Corporation, Bernard Gemini, decided to junk a project, almost firing his own daughter in the process since she was on the development team. I don’t know what project it was, but I’m pretty sure it had something to do with that slaughter,” Tara informed them.

“What happened?” Kim inquired.

“I couldn’t find out much information on that incident, but I think it had to do with the Bebes project, even though that wasn’t the one junked. There were investigations of sabotage, but nothing was every proven,” Tara continued on. 

“If you’re implying that Felix had something to do with that, I can assure you that’s not true,” Vivian said through gritted teeth as she silently prayed the headache beating at her skull just went away. Her grip on her glass tightened, causing her fingers to turn almost white from the pressure. She could not and would not break down in front of her team, but the headache was becoming unbearable so quickly. For the past couple of days, no matter how many painkillers she took, there always seemed to be this promise of a migraine banging at the front of her head. 

“If not that, then maybe he had something to do with the quake he supposedly died in, the one his mother supposedly died in. I mean, obviously he’s not dead, or so you and he say. The lab suffered another incident right before the quake. This incident was so horrible Bernard Gemini had to go with an insane idea to put an end to it. Whatever it was happened to be so bad Gemini ordered an artificial earthquake…” Tara trailed off. 

That got Shego’s attention and she glared long and hard at Vivian. “Wait, you mean to tell me the Gemini Corporation ordered the earthquake? All of those people died because of them!” She leaped up off of the sofa. 

Shego made a tight fist and her face tensed. She closed her eyes tightly, smelling fires and burning, hearing screams in the distance and up close. Voices that distinctly sounded like her brothers cried out for parents that were long gone, trapped under rubble from trying to assist others. Her flesh could feel the heat and her lungs struggled for air, feeling crushed by imaginary smoke. 

“Was the situation really that impossible?” Kim asked in a whisper. “Is what is buried down there that impossible?” 

“They tried to bury what was down there and it is _that_ impossible. I’m not trying to justify the loss of any lives. I lost my sister in that quake. They never even found her body. I visit her grave, knowing its nothing but a coffin filled with memories,” Vivian muttered, massaging her temples, praying the headache would go away or she would just give birth to Athena already.

“What was in the lab?” Tara demanded. 

“I can’t tell you that. I can just assure that Felix had nothing to do with it,” Vivian answered in a raw tone.

“But, you did, didn’t you?” Tara hollered, which caught the others’ attention even more. They all waited with baited breath for the response. 

“I can honestly say I didn’t have anything to do with the decision,” Vivian answered again.

“But, you worked on the Bebes!” Tara screamed as she leaped up off of the sofa, as if driving her point home.

A pin could have hit the floor and made more noise than the ladies. Vivian flinched while Shego looked as if she had been shot. Tara growled. 

“I can’t do anything for you anymore, Vivian. I just can’t trust you,” Tara declared and she bolted, running out of the room as if her ass was on fire.

“Were you involved in that quake?” Shego demanded through gritted teeth.

“Would I have been involved in killing my sister? I didn’t have anything to do with the quake. I was a scientist who helped create Bebes, yes, but the quake was a surprise to us as much as it was to the city. But, I can also assure you what we buried with that quake…” Vivian shuddered and hyperventilated for a few seconds.

Shego growled and she seemed like she was about to attack Vivian. Kim got up and put her hand on Shego’s shoulder. Shego’s tight fists were released, but she continued to glare at Vivian.

“You two can leave too, if you want to,” Vivian stated in a hard, heavy tone. There was a moment of silence. Kim gently squeezed Shego’s shoulder.

“The hell is wrong with you? You think we’re just going to leave you now when there’s something dangerous lurking right under the city? Not like you can do this on your own,” Shego replied in her usual huff. 

Vivian seemed to brighten slightly from that, but her headache remained, pounding on her skull as if trying to crack the bone. She felt dizzy for a moment and actually wobbled. It was a good thing Kim and Shego would stay. Maybe she could not do this one her own.

“Yeah, we do have to stop this dangerous thing. Not like we can bury it with another quake,” Kim remarked dryly.

“I can’t believe you helped produce Bebes,” Shego hissed. Her voice was laced with disdain, and Vivian was not sure if the feelings were directed toward her or the creatures she helped create.

“I had hopes I was taking part of something great. It had the potential to be something so great and could still be great. I know that for a fact,” Vivian said with rare happiness in her voice. 

“Nothing good has ever come from a Bebe,” Shego spat.

“Nothing recently, no,” Vivian said.

“Is that why you formed the Knight Sabers? To fight against your own creations who aren’t being used in the way you wanted or have been turned into something you didn’t want?” Kim asked.

“You know, I really don’t want to answer these questions, but I should be more open with you. I’m asking a lot of you and giving very little. Bebes aren’t being used the way we wanted them. Hell, even Bernard Gemini had a different vision for them and he wouldn’t have let these models out of production, but he died too soon, a broken man from bad choices and an impossible decision. Now, his no-good son has his run of the company and hell knows what he’s planning. The company’s looking for the lab and they want what’s buried there. It can’t be good,” Vivian replied. 

“Okay, well, let’s getting moving. We can’t let those Gemini Corporation bastards do anything else stupid!” Shego declared.

“Okay, so we’ll search five places each night and get this out of the way quickly… hopefully,” Kim offered with her usual optimism. 

“Thank you,” Vivian said. Shego shrugged while Kim tugged her away for them to go get changed into their hard suits.

“Do you think Tara will be okay?” Kim asked.

“Just give her time to throw her tantrum. She’ll be back. Besides, it’s better she ran out because she’s way too emotional right now to be any help,” Shego replied.

Kim smiled. “Wow, that was insightful. I’m proud of how you handled finding out that Vivian helped create Bebes. You didn’t try to kill her or anything.”

The biker merely grunted. She was pissed beyond thought with Vivian for not saying anything about creating Bebes, but she could not blame Vivian for the quake or what Bebes were doing now. Vivian lost her sister to the earthquake and was now witnessing her creations used in a manner that no one desired. Not to mention, she suspected Vivian’s mental instability and drinking were linked to the guilt of what her creations were doing. Vivian was hurting enough and Shego was not interested in kicking a woman while she was down and while she was trying to do the right thing in someway.

“You’ve been really understanding lately,” Kim noted right after getting into her suit. Shego only snorted.

Vivian did not say anything, but she was willing to agree with Kim. Vivian wondered why that was, even though she could guess. She also wondered what else Shego hid under her rough-biker-rock-star exterior, like what made Shego hate Bebes with more passion than she would ever admit to. 

Vivian had expected Shego to attack her when she admitted to helping create Bebes. Watching Shego as a Knight Saber, she knew the intense hatred the pale woman had for creations Vivian and so many others wanted to be perfect. They wanted Bebes to be perfect, to help save lives, but they only caused so much pain and suffering. Vivian shook it off. She had to be in the right state of mind to help Kim and Shego as they hunted for that damned lab.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the search for the lab is on. The Knight Sabers try to beat Drakken to the underground lab.


	16. “Zealots”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own any of these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept/storyline; it belongs to Bubblegum Crisis 2040. 
> 
> The title is a song by the Fugees.

 

16: “Zealots”

The Sky Hook raced from Go City into the heavens, taking its cargo to the space center. Electricity crackled through the rail as it pushed the Hook away from the planet. The trips seemed to be more frequent with each passing day, but no one really noticed. The Sky Hook seemed much like a cloud, seeming as if it belonged in the air, and that what it did was of no consequence to anyone. Tara did not see the Sky Hook in spite of the fact that she stared out the window, looking straight at it, at the time it took off.

Tara turned away from the window and slumped down onto the plush bench that sat in front of it. She stared at her feet with a troubled look on her face while clutching a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. She had not sipped the beverage yet, but had bought it with the hope that it would give her enough peace of mind to make it through a day at work. At the moment, though, with the way she was feeling, she was not sure how she was going to make it through anything. 

Everything seemed so twisted and strange. She knew Vivian was hiding something, but she could not figure out what. She wondered if the grand secrets had anything to do with Felix and if it was something horrible, heavy, or both. She needed an explanation for why there were no records of Felix after saying he died seven years ago in that man-made earthquake that had pretty much swallowed the whole city, as if it was the wrath of God upon them.

Making matters worse, the information she looked up on him before his “death” was scattered. It was hard to connect anything of what seemed like a real life before the earthquake. There were a few medical records, things about an accident, which she supposed explained his wheelchair. There were some school records, but so much was missing. Even pictures were few and far in between. The few she found just confused her further. Nothing about this made any sense.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Steve and Ron came up the hall. They were speaking to each other, but they both immediately noticed Tara. They stared at the usually cheerful girl and were almost scared to see how depressed she appeared. They had never seen her like this before. In fact, they used to think she was on sort of drugs that kept her from being anything but happy.

“Uh… Tara, are you okay?” Ron asked hesitantly, even though the answer was quite obvious. Rufus climbed up the full length of Ron’s body, just to step on his head and let him know what a stupid question that was.

“I’m cool,” Tara answered in a mumbled, eyes still focused on her feet.

“You sure? You look like you’re lost in thought, which seems highly unlikely for you,” Barkin remarked with a teasing grin. Ron glared at his partner for a moment until he saw the spark in Tara’s eyes and realized Barkin had done that on purpose.

“You make it sound like I’m some sort of ditz!” Tara huffed, stomping her foot. Sure, she was a space-case sometimes, but that did not mean there was nothing going on in her head!

“I thought you were,” Barkin teased, and it finally clicked to her.

“Shut up, Stevie-poo,” Tara grumbled… and then a devilish smiled curled onto her face.

Barkin gulped at the sight of the smile. He knew something horrible was going to happen and he could not run away. He steeled himself for whatever she was about to say. How bad could it be, after all?

“So, how’s things with Shego?” Tara asked.

Barkin made a decided squeak that should never come from a man his size. The two blonds could not help giggling while Rufus broke down into a fit of laughs, rolling around on Ron’s head. Barkin’s face quickly transformed from shocked to angry due to their reactions.

“I’m guessing you haven’t made it far with her, huh, Stevie-poo?” Tara commented.

“He’s worked up enough courage to ask around about her, but he hasn’t gotten too far. People say she hasn’t been around her usual haunts too much the past few days. Sounds like she’s already got a man if you ask me,” Ron remarked.

“Well, no one asked you!” Barkin huffed and folded his arms across his massive chest. Ron laughed at the sight of the large man throwing a childlike tantrum.

Tara nodded and her eyes went back to her feet. “I guess Shego’s working pretty hard…” she muttered, speaking herself, but she had said the words aloud. She then noticed the guys were still there and she laughed awkwardly. She waved them off and stuck her tongue out. “Sorry, I’m just being a little silly today is all,” she said, hoping they bought that excuse.

Barkin bristled as he thought about what she said. “Shego’s working hard… on a man?” A bead of sweat raced down his face as his features hardened.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego grunted as she marched through the ruins of the former Go City in her hard suit. She doubted she had seen so much of the city before when it was above ground and now she was marching around while it was buried underneath a new city, looking for something that had somehow required one of the largest metropolises in the world become a graveyard. She could not help wondering what the hell was so horrible that it was worth burying an entire city for.

“All of those lives…” Shego bit back some emotion that tried to creep into her system. _It’s the past, it’s gone_ , she told herself over and over again, trying keep her mind focused. She just needed to make sure it never came back.

To make sure she stayed focused, Shego re-shouldered the sonar she carried. When Vivian had handed it to her early, she had “tactfully” commented the thing looked like the bastard child of an assault rifle and a metal detector. Vivian had merely shrugged and commented it served a purpose. When Kim said close to the same thing, Vivian confirmed it was a mix between those two things. The memory made Shego chuckle a little.

Shego stood over her target, which was an unmarked bit of road. She aimed her sonar at the street, holding it just like a rifle. There was a screen poking out of where a scope would have been, which was what made her think of it like as a metal detector again. There was also the fact that the end of it did not have an opening like a gun, but a flat, disc like a metal detector.

“Okay, Viv. I’m here,” Shego said, speaking into the communication device built into the helmet.

“I’m ready. Whenever you want to go,” Vivian answered.

Shego shrugged and she pulled the trigger on the device. A thin beam of light came from the sonar. Shego did not pay much attention to the monitor since the same information was fed to her visor and she could view it from there. Vivian was also got the read on her computer inside the Pit.

Shego sucked her teeth. “Damn it, not it.”

“No, it’s not. Please, go to the next target,” Vivian requested with a sigh.

Shego shrugged again and was gone. Vivian took a moment and rubbed her eyes. Her head was killing her. She turned her attention to Kim.

“How’s it going, Kim?” Vivian asked.

“I’m in position and I’m ready when you are,” Kim answered. She was in her hard suit in what she imagined was once a parking lot. There were still cars there, even a few still parallel to each other. Hell, some looked like they were still waiting for their drivers to return and remove them from their tombs.

“I’m ready. Go for it,” Vivian answered.

Kim aimed her sonar into a space at the wall. Like Shego’s sonar, she pulled the trigger and a dull blue light came out. Kim monitored the data coming. 

“Not it,” Kim reported. “I’m going to go to the next spot, okay?”

“All right,” Vivian agreed. She then marked off the sites that they had visited. She sighed as she realized they were down to the last five places. “Where the hell are you?” she whispered, pinching the bridge her nose.

The trio was silent for some minutes as the two Knight Sabers made their way to the next positions. Kim broke the silence, explaining she hit a dead-end and wanted to know if there was a way around.

Vivian examined her maps and scowled. “There’s nothing close by for you to use.”

“Can I just use the sonar from here?” Kim asked. She knew the range of the device, but she did not know how far she was from the target.

“No, you’re definitely too far. Hold on while I look for the shortest route for you to make it to the space.”

“Don’t bother,” Shego suddenly chimed. She aimed her sonar at a space between the floor and the wall in what was once a tunnel part of a highway. The monitor alerted her that she was getting the reaction that Vivian was looking for. “Yeah, I definitely found this shit,” she confirmed in a cocky tone they expected of her.

“Okay. You’ve found it. Now, come back,” Vivian ordered.

“In a minute,” Shego said, looking around the dark, desolate area. “I want to look around a bit.”

“Shego, come back, now,” Vivian commanded in a sterner tone than before.

Shego ignored the order and walked around the tunnel. She made a fist as she came back to the space she used the sonar on. Her knuckle-bombs came to life, poking out of her gauntlet. She punched down on the spot, creating a giant hole. She wasted no time leaping into the unknown. She landed onto a level that was obviously once a highway. She realized where she was now.

“This used to be the Grand Way,” she muttered. It was once the city’s pride and joy, the most state-of-the-art, up-to-date highway systems ever. It was supposed to reduce traffic in the city by having several levels and was located mostly underground. It used to creep her out when she rode through it with her family. She had been quite young then. Hard to believe she had ever been a child, but then again, it was hard to believe the place she was in used to be busy.

“Shego, get back here!” Vivian barked, knowing the biker was just going to go deeper. 

“Hmm… this looks like a building,” Shego noted as if Vivian was not screaming in her ear. She was standing in front of a collapsed structure that was just off of the road. “I’m going in,” she decided. 

“Goddamn it, Shego, get the fuck back here right now!” Vivian hollered. Kim was a bit taken aback by the language, but she knew Shego had a way of bringing out the worst in people.

Shego punched through the wall of the building and stepped through. She craned an eyebrow curiously. It looked like she was in a hallway, so she guessed it was a building.

“I think I’m standing in a hall. I’m going to go look around,” the singer announced. 

“Shego, listen to me, do not go anywhere, goddamn it! Get the fuck out of there right now!” Vivian wailed, slamming her fists down on the desk in front of her. She was close to putting her hands through the polished wood.

“I just want to see what’s inside,” Shego replied with a shrug. 

“Well, I fucking said come back, so come the fuck back!” Vivian’s tone was harsh. Her face was red from all of the screaming, and there were veins popping from her forehead. 

The biker rolled her shoulders and continued looking down the black hall. “My battery’s running low. I’ll be back up in a few minutes.” 

With the search over, Kim and Shego headed back to the Pit. They removed their hard suits and were greeted by Vivian as they stepped into the main room wearing the one-piece outfits that went underneath their armor. 

“I want to thank you two for the hard work you put in. I’m glad to know where the lab is now and everything,” Vivian informed them with a pleasant smile on her face. It did not take a genius to know she was forcing the smile. They could see turmoil in those bright blue eyes that was so deep it was impossible to mask. 

“Bullshit. You know where it is now, so what are you planning to do?” Shego demanded with a twisted, heated expression on her face. She did not like how Vivian had called her back when she was so close to whatever it was that Vivian sought. Something was up and she wanted to know what the hell it was.

“Planning?” Vivian echoed in a much too innocent tone. 

“Don’t do something stupid and go down there by yourself. You asked us for help, we’re here,” Shego pointed out. She knew Vivian was not as helpless or as nonchalant as she liked to appear. The woman was bold, cavalier, and out of her fucking mind for whatever reason, so she was not above doing something incredibly stupid.

Vivian glanced away. Her eyes fixed on the floor, as they seemed to shine with unshed tears, tears that were not even there. Her face appeared as if it was ready to fall off from guilt and pain.

“What happens now isn’t any of your concern,” Vivian answered as she looked back up, locking eyes with Shego.

“Bullshit,” the biker called once more. “You do this fucking song and dance with us about this dangerous fucking thing that you make us hunt for and now it’s none of our business? That’s bullshit and it’s bullshit to think you can do this on your own just because you feel fucking guilty over helping make the damn thing. We’re here, damn it.” 

“Shego’s right, Vivian. We’re here and we want to help. If this thing is that dangerous, you don’t have to take it all on your own. You don’t have to carry this weight on your shoulders either. You didn’t make it alone and you didn’t know what it was going to be like when you did make it. Let us help you get through this,” Kim gently urged.

There was silence for a few tense seconds and then Vivian nodded. “You’re right. You are here and I should accept the help. I’ll call you and let you know when we should move.” 

Shego and Kim nodded, happy to have won the argument. Suddenly, changing the whole mood, Vivian offered them a reward for all of their troubles beyond the money. She offered them a chance to unwind by paying for a day at a spa of their choosing.

Kim made a face. “Vivian…” She had never been to a spa and really had no desire to start now.

Vivian smiled. “Don’t back out of this. You deserve it and you’ll feel like a new person after the spa. So, please, figure out where you want to go.” 

“I know just the place,” Shego said, earning two blank stares. “What?” she asked, scrunching up her face. She was sure they were not looking at her that way for a reason she would like. 

-8-8-8-8- 

Shego and Kim sighed deeply as they sank into the hot water of the mineral bath that they were in. Kim settled in to the point where her head was the only thing above the water. Shego had her arms swung out, resting them on the floor that the low pool was built into and leaning back, sighing as if she in heaven.

“This is perfect,” Shego muttered as her eyes closed. 

“Indeed it is,” Kim concurred, staring at her companion for a few moments. She took in the powerful shoulders that Shego tended to keep hidden underneath her leather jacket. Even the bike leathers left something to the imagination because Kim had no idea Shego’s shoulders and arms were perfect. Her eyes drifted even lower for a moment, but quickly realized where she was looking and snapped her eyes shut. 

The singer did not say anything in response and just enjoyed the hot water. After a few minutes, she was stunned by the fact that Kim was not talking her ear off as usual. She cracked open one eye and saw Kim relaxing in the same manner as she was, but being shorter meant that Kim pulled a bit more of herself out of the water in order to have her arms resting on the sides. 

Emerald eyes took in the rested form, the calm rise and fall of a perfect chest. The water glistened around soft peach skin while strands of red hair floated around slender shoulders. Shego thought it was amazing that such a small body could carry so much power and be so strong. Olive eyes suddenly opened and Shego quickly turned away.

“I think I fell asleep,” Kim admitted with a sheepish laugh.

“I’m close to doing that myself. Let’s get out and move onto something else,” Shego suggested. Something that would not scramble her brain.

They got out of the water and ended up on massage tables in the same room. They both groaned in pleasure when the procedure was started. The noises startled them, but also caused a ripple through their bodies. They blamed that on shock, not expecting to hear the sounds.

“You know, I was shocked you actually listened to Vivian today,” Kim commented, hoping to cover up the effect Shego’s moan had on her.

“To hell with Vivian. I was going to go, but like I said, my battery was running low,” Shego answered. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck, buried under layers of rubble without her hard suit.

Kim chuckled a bit. “I guess I should learn to expect that of you.” She referred to Shego’s bravado. “But, I thought this was all about the money for you.” She got the feeling things were so much deeper for the biker than money, but Shego’s swagger prevented her from admitting to more.

“Yeah, well, when I give up a week of my free time for searching for something, excuse the fuck out of me for wanting to see what the hell it is,” she replied.

Kim laughed again; _typical Shego answer_. “I wonder what it is, too. I mean, the lengths they went to put it down there and the lengths Vivian is going through to keep it down there…” 

An arrogant smirk worked its way onto Shego’s face. “I knew you wanted to see it.”

“Of course. I mean, just from the way Vivian wanted to stop you from going down there. I’ve never heard her curse so much.” 

Shego snorted. “She’s done that before. Viv has her moments. She’s kind of unbalanced, but now I’m starting to get why,” she confessed without thinking. She silently cursed the treatment that she was getting, certain that it was making her loosen her tongue.

Kim nodded. She was starting to understand the women she worked with much better now. Vivian’s eccentric and now erratic behavior could be explained by extreme guilt, not just from helping create Bebes, but also from the earthquake that climbed thousands of lives, one of which was her own sister. Vivian had seen and done a lot in a short amount of her life, and it would seem she was coping with it as best she could, which was not exceptionally well. Vivian needed someone to lean on, which was something she had in common with Shego.

Kim recognized Shego had a lot weighing on her. She remembered Shego’s reaction to being told the huge quake from a few years ago was man-made. If the inside resembled the outside only a bit, she could bet Shego’s innards were torn apart by that knowledge. Kim guessed Shego lost people in that quake, but she was not sure who. She doubted Shego would open up about it, even now, but she decided to try to pick that well-guarded brain.

“Shego, was it really just about money and curiosity?” Kim asked.

“Money makes the world go around,” Shego answered. 

The redhead nodded and decided to let it go for the moment, knowing Shego’s answer contained more that was unsaid. She sighed and just enjoyed the massage. They went through the whole works at the spa and almost were reluctant to leave, but they had other things to do. The only pauses they had were to sneak peeks at each other in the locker room as they changed back into their usual clothing. As they approached the exit, many of the Bebes working in the spa bid them good day as they went by. 

“This was nice. I’m shocked you know about a place like this,” Kim teased as they hit the streets.

“What do you mean?” Shego asked. “You think just because I like fast bikes, I don’t know how to relax?” 

“I never thought you’d relax at a place like this,” the redhead answered.

Emerald eyes rolled. “You shouldn’t think then.” 

Kim smiled. “It’s a good thing I don’t take your advice because that sounds like quite the bad idea to me.”

“You’re usually all for bad ideas.” 

“Only my own, though.” Kim smiled more when she got a laugh out of Shego. The sound went into her ears and bounced around every fiber of her being. It was a strange feeling and made her halt for just a second before switching gears. “I hope Tara’s all right.”

“She’s probably just getting over her temper tantrum. Once she gets herself together, she’ll be back, as annoying as ever,” Shego assured her teammate. “I’m more curious as to what the hell Vivian is doing,” she admitted. She was willing to bet that the older blond was the one doing something stupid.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian sat at the computer, heavy lines marring her face and discoloration hugging her eyes. She poured through maps, superimposing some onto others. She was fairly certain she could navigate the underground, former Go City with her eyes closed, but that was not enough.

“I need something more than this. Last time we tried it, it should’ve worked, but it just didn’t have enough power. Where could I get enough power to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself?” Vivian asked herself.

She scanned more maps and other documents, taking her bottom lip between her teeth as time went by. Her eyes never blinked, only scoping out and moving, searching for answers. She suddenly grinned as she figured out just what she needed to know.

“Thank you, Gemini. You can help bring about the demise of an evil that you can’t even imagine. So, I have a power source, but I have to be able to access it from the lab,” Vivian reminded herself, taking her victorious smile off of her face.

The smile returned moments later. She found exactly what she needed on one of the old maps and her own memory. She quickly shut down her computer and ran out of the Pit as if her ass was on fire. She was out of the building just as quickly and peeled off in her car fast enough to leave tire marks.

Had Vivian stuck around for just one more minute, she would have been able to greet her frantic nephew as he zoomed into the building. Felix called out for his aunt, but he did not get an answer. He wasted no time checking each and every room in the building, including the store on the ground floor and her home on the upper levels. He sighed when he got the feeling she was not there, but he still called out for her. 

“Vivian is not here,” Will told Felix as the butler joined Felix in the dining room.

“She’s not here? Then where is she?” Felix asked with a furrowed brow. 

“She didn’t say,” Will answered.

Sighing, Felix rubbed the center of his head. There was a bit of a headache right behind his eyes. His aunt was going to drive him crazy, he feared. 

“She’s been like this for a while now. She disappears and she hasn’t been saying where she’s been going, especially the past few nights. Has she told you anything?” Felix inquired.

Will shook his head a little. “She hasn’t said anything to me.”

Felix frowned and looked at the floor with a heated intensity. “She’s keeping things from me again…” he muttered, spitting the words from his mouth as if they tasted bitter in his mouth.

“Felix, your aunt cares about you. I will say she’s never been happier as far as I know since you moved in. So, why can’t you just accept this and not question her all of the time?” Will requested. 

Felix shook his head. “It’s not that. I know she’s probably doing a lot of things she doesn’t want to tell me about. She’s been that way for a while. I just wanted to talk to her because recently I started feeling so weird. It’s like there’s a humming in my body and it feels like someone’s calling me.” His eyes shifted to his hand and he made a fist. It almost felt like his body fought against his mind, wanting to listen to another force. The thought made him quiver a little. 

Will only looked at the younger man. He was not sure how to respond to that, wanting to comment it did not seem too important. There was something about the look in Felix’s eyes that told Will it was of dire importance, though.

-8-8-8-8-

Hank Perkins was a man with ambition; some might say it to a scary degree. Ever since Doctor Drakken trusted him to be his assistant, Hank had taken it to heart and made it his business to know every inch of what his boss wanted from him. He knew Drakken wanted some old lab that used to be a part of the Gemini Corporation, so he made it his mission to research everything he could.

Since he had not had any luck in locating the lab, he decided to look up some of the old scientists who worked there. Many of them were dead and others were missing, or in hiding. He had been able to find one and he was going to go talk to him, but he did not quite make it.

Hank stood on the sidewalk looking down the alley that he knew led to the workshop of Doctor Freeman. He had tried to get in earlier, but the door would not open. He stayed long enough to see a blond woman, who truly stood out in that part of town, enter the shop. The thing that got to him was that he recognized her. 

“Doctor Vivian Porter,” Hank muttered to himself as her name floated across his mind. He rushed to his car, which was not parked too far from the shop. He could still keep an eye on things while checking on something. 

He pulled out his laptop and quickly searched the Gemini Corporation database again. He came across her quickly. He went through her files, finding she worked on the biggest project in the lab that he needed to find. His brow furrowed as he tried to find out more about her, what she was up to since the quake. Apparently, the company had been looking for her, trying to get her to come back, but they had no luck in doing that since she disappeared for a year after that incident. He decided to make a call. 

“Doctor Drakken, it’s Hank,” the assistant said.

“What is it, Hank?” Drakken huffed. 

“I was going to look into an old colleague of yours, Doctor Freeman. I thought he might have a lead on the lab, but I couldn’t get into his shop. But, right after I couldn’t get in, I saw another old friend of yours go in, Vivian Porter.”

“Vivian Porter…” Drakken echoed. “Follow her.”

“Sir?” 

“Follow her. She’s been in hiding for years and now all of sudden she’s out talking to someone who might know where the lab is. She might be looking to take what’s mine!” Drakken snarled. He would be damned if he would let anyone, even a co-creator, take anything from him, not when he was so close.

“Yes, sir,” Hank concurred. 

“Make sure you call me with any new developments,” Drakken said before disconnecting the call. He wondered what Vivian was up. It seemed odd that she would just suddenly pop up after not having contact with anyone from the lab for seven years. He would not take any chances.

“Yes, sir.” Hank closed his phone. 

The assistant kept a close eye on Vivian as she came back outside with a long package that was wrapped in a tarp. She loaded it into her small sports’ car and took off down the street. He followed her as ordered, making sure to stay out of sight. Little did he know, but Vivian was so focused on ahead of her that she never thought to look back.

Vivian drove to a parking lot and parked her car right next to the mobile Pit, which she had put there earlier. Hank watched her and then got on the phone to call Drakken back. Drakken answered immediately. 

“Sir, I think you were right about her. She’s parked really close to one of the locations we planned on searching. I have a plan ready if it’s to your liking,” Hank informed the cerulean scientist.

“Let me hear,” Drakken said.

Hank went through all the aspects of a plan that had only just hatched in his mind after seeing Vivian pull into her parking space. One of the things that made him ambitious was that he had a quick mind and he thought rapidly on his feet. He hung up the phone after getting permission and made another call to the team of men working with him. They arrived minutes later in unmarked, black trucks.

“We just need to wait for Drakken to show up. But, we need to get down to the underground highway. That’s where she’s headed,” Hank informed his crew. He smiled inwardly; he had a crew. “We have to keep an eye on her, though. Don’t lose her,” he commanded.

The men nodded and started to hustle to get everything together. They moved their trucks into the underground highway while making sure to keep track of Vivian. Hank smiled to himself. This might be his lucky day, after all.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara was at her terminal, waiting for her stomach to eat itself. She had run out of snacks and she did not have time to run to the vending machine to grab some more junk food. Just as she was about to get up anyway, she got a call. She groaned and her stomach followed suit.

“GJ Bebe task force,” Tara answered the call.

“There’s been an explosion in the underground highway. I think it’s terrorists and they have Bebes.”

Tara blinked hard and decided to bring the image up to see what was going on. Just as she was about to put the image on her own computer, it came up on the large monitor at the front of the operators’ room. Sure enough, there was a smoking hole in the wall of the underground highway along with three black trucks, a group of men dressed in riot gear, and several combat Bebes.

“Holy crap,” Tara muttered to herself. _This is new to Bebe crime_. 

Suddenly, the image from the highway disappeared and was replaced with the image of their chief. “Agents, I need everyone to stay where they are and not bother with any reports on this matter. It’s not a terrorist attack. I’ve been assured by upper management that it’s a drill they are doing it to make sure that certain Bebes work properly and the hole was an accident. It is only a drill to test a new line of Bebes.”

“You’re kidding me,” Tara grumbled. _Who the hell would believe such an outright lie?_ And then Tara thought about who “upper management” was to the GJ police force — The Gemini Corporation. The company funded GJ. Those were Gemini workers down there, she concluded. But, what were they doing down there?

Suddenly, realization hit Tara. They were in the area where Vivian started her searches for that lab. She doubted Gemini had found it first when they had so much area to search. 

“Shit, did they find the Knight Sabers?” Tara wondered with dread. Her stomach flipped and then dropped into her feet. She got up from her seat and bolted from her station. She ran into the bathroom to make a phone call. “Shego, pick up!” she pled in a panic, pacing the empty room.

“What do you want, blondie?” Shego inquired. 

“Are you guys still looking for that lab?” Tara asked anxiously.

“Nah, we found it last night.” 

“Are you guys down there right now?” 

“No, Vivian needed to do some things before we were going to go down there.”

Tara’s face fell. “Uh… I think Vivian went down there by herself.”

There was silence for a moment. “Son of a bitch!” _Trust Vivian to lie her ass off!_

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: find out what’s so dangerous.


	17. “Life of the Party”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this premise; it belongs to Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The song title comes from a song by the Jackson 5.

 

17: “Life of the Party”

Vivian, clad in her white Knight Saber suit, marched down into the bowels of what used to be Go City. Determination was etched in her every move while she kept a white-knuckle grip on the weapon attached to her back. Sounds of her light footfalls echoed through the dark halls as she ran against the crumbling concrete. She silently promised herself that everything would end before it had a chance to begin. Everything was going to end today.

“Today is the end. I won’t let you do this again. I won’t let you hurt anymore people,” Vivian vowed as she kicked in a broken door and continued her path downward. Darkness seemed to swallow her whole as she moved.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim was at her desk, actually trying to get some work done. She never realized how boring her job was until she sat down and focused on it. But, she would put her all into it since she signed up for it and she got something in return for her service. She just had to make sure she stayed awake while doing it.

She was focused on her computer screen, trying to hold in a yawn, until her desk phone went off. She planned to ignore it in favor of finishing up what she was working on, but she decided against it. The call could be important, after all. Worse, it could be a boss checking up on her and she needed to make a good impression of some kind before they decided to fire her.

“Kim Possible speaking,” the redhead answered in a professional tone.

“Kim, it’s Tara!” she reported as if she was out of breath.

Kim gave a light laugh. “Yeah, Tara, I know your voice by now.” _Why is she so excited? It can’t be good_.

“Never mind that! Vivian went down all by herself! There are armed men and armored Bebes going down after her and they’re all with the Gemini Corporation! GJ forces have been ordered on standby, but I think we all know that if Gemini people find Vivian down there, it won’t be good!” Tara explained, trying to keep her voice under control, but she could not. Vivian could be in big trouble, after all.

“You’re right. Okay, Tara, calm down. We’ll get to her first,” Kim assured her friend.

“Yeah, that’s why you need to go downstairs right now. Shego should be waiting for you,” Tara informed the redhead.

“Okay. I’m gone.” Kim hung the phone up and shot up from her desk.

“Kim, where are you going now?” Monique inquired, sounding both curious and slightly upset. Her friend would end up fired if she kept ducking out of work and putting things off like she was. This was very unlike Kim, who was very responsible. She did not know what to make of the behavior.

“I’ve got an emergency. Tell the boss I left, went home sick,” Kim replied in a rush.

“You can’t keep taking off like this. You want this job, right? I mean, you want to go to Go University, right?” Monique demanded with a worried look on her face.

“I do, Mo. It’s just that some things in my life are more important to me right now. So, please, just cover for me,” Kim requested with a look that would have made a beggar cry.

Monique sighed and her shoulders slumped in defeat. “Fine, but you owe me big.”

“Deal!”

Kim bolted off, charging down the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. She practically flew down the steps in front of the building and almost landed exactly on Shego’s bike as the singer sped up to the office. Kim was on the back of the motorcycle before Shego even came to a complete stop. For a moment, the biker was speechless, actually impressed by the move, but of course, she could never say that aloud!

“You’re actually not embarrassed to be riding in that skirt?” Shego teased with a grin behind her helmet.

“Shut up and drive!” Kim retorted with a snort.

“Hold on tight! Wouldn’t want you to fall off!”

Shego peeled off before Kim was able to get her arms all the way around the biker, but Kim did manage. Shego silently admitted she was impressed with Kim kept her composure and with her ability to stay on the bike. Kim never ceased to amaze her, which she wished she could just ignore. She did not think Kim should impress her.

Shego did, however, ignore the warm feeling spreading through her body with Kim plastered to her back. She also tried to ignore the fact that she liked having Kim’s small breasts pressed against her. She wondered what it would feel like without so many layers between them and they were not moving close to mach speed.

Shego groaned from the thought. _Stop thinking perverted thoughts and just think about saving Vivian so I can kill her myself_ _!_

Kim held on for dear life while hoping Vivian was all right. In the back of her mind, she noted she fit nicely against Shego, but made sure to mentally scold herself right after that thought. _Now is not the time for that_. Now was the time about helping Vivian with whatever was in that lab and with the Gemini thugs coming her way. There was no way Vivian alone would be able to hold off the forces Tara described.

They made it to the Silk Android in record time. Kim was almost sure they had broken the sound barrier on the way. They rushed down into the Pit, where they found Tara, dressed in her one piece and ready to hop into her armor. Kim and Shego started to look around, but Tara stopped them.

“She’s not here. The Mobile Pit is gone, too, and so is her white hard suit. Felix isn’t around either, so I couldn’t ask him if he knew what was going on,” Tara reported.

“What’s to ask? That bitch Vivian planned this the whole time!” Shego snarled. _Why the hell did we believe her in the first place? Vivian’s too crazy to trust!_

“That’s why she was so quick to agree that she’d wait for us. She was going to go on her own the whole time,” Kim realized.

“She lied right to our faces! When I see her again, I’m going to pound her fucking skull in!” Shego punched her fist into her palm.

“Let’s get to her first. Obviously, something big is going on and Vivian only knows half of it. She doesn’t know Gemini has people down there. We’ll get to her first and then when we’re all safe we’ll talk about this lying to us thing,” Kim reasoned.

“To hell with talking! You don’t call yourself a team and then lie to your teammates! That’s how people get fucking hurt and killed!” Shego proclaimed. 

The fire in her tone and eyes surprised the other Knight Sabers. They blinked hard and considered saying something about Shego’s passion. She cut in, though.

“Let’s get to this shit before Gemini gets her first,” Shego said, tearing off her jacket. Tara and Kim could only nod.

-8-8-8-8-

Men clad in black and standing by equally onyx trucks stood at attention as a dark blue car drove into the underground highway. The car was brought to a halt and Doctor Drakken stepped out. He surveyed the men and Bebes at his disposal. A smile curled onto his face. Everything was so close he could practically taste the fruits of his labor. It was so sweet.

“I’m coming for you, my perfect creation,” Drakken said to himself.

Before the good Doctor could get into a monologue, which he was good at, Hank Perkins trotted up to him. Hank sported a giant grin while standing out from the rest of the group like a sore thumb and it was not because of his expression. He was dressed in his usual corporate casual clothing, while everyone else was dressed like they were about to engage in jungle warfare.

“Sir, we’ve cut through the wall here and I’m sure we’ll be able to track down Doctor Porter and the lab if she’s going there,” Hank reported, sounding rather proud of himself.

“Then why are we standing around here?” Drakken barked. Oh, they were so close it made him shudder with excitement! _Soon, very soon, I’ll get everything I deserve_.

Hearing their orders, the combat-ready men and the combat-ready Bebes marched through the hole, into the darkness, and into the unknown. Drakken made no hesitation as he followed them in. Hank thought things over for a brief moment and then charged in right behind them.

-8-8-8-8-

Felix was not sure what he was doing, but he could not ignore the feeling in his body. There was an overwhelming sensation, beckoning him into the depths of the city, but he was certain it was calling him to Pandora’s Box, or even worse, to the Gates of Hell. He could not fight it, as hard as he tried.

“I need to talk to Aunt Vivian. I’m sure she’ll know what it’s all about,” Felix convinced himself. He just needed to find her and she would fix all of this, fix him. 

He was easily able to track down the mobile Pit thanks to the computer programs in his chair. He was stunned to find the trailer empty. As far as he knew, Vivian never left the mobile Pit. He rushed over to the computer monitors, hoping they would tell the tale of what was going on. The first thing he noticed was a shot of Gemini black trucks in the underground highway. 

 _Gemini. Are they after Vivian? Is Vivian down there?_ Felix tried to find the answers to his questions as more poured into his mind. Was she down there where he was being called? Did she know what was calling him? He guessed he would have to go there and find out. 

Felix rushed out of the mobile Pit and went down into the underground highway. He immediately saw the Gemini trucks and then he saw the hole. He did not even think as he maneuvered his chair, using a glide program, in order to go through the hole. 

“Aunt Vivian, please, be okay,” Felix prayed as he found himself having to work his chair around all sorts of obstacles. He was thankful his mother saw fit to program his chair for just about an activity, so he was able to make it past piles of debris and down long, dilapidated flights of stairs. He barely noticed any of those things anyway. His thoughts were focused on his aunt while his body pulsed as he inched closer to whatever it was that commanding it. _Is this what a stroke or heart attack feels like right before it happens?_

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian worked her way through everything that the dark underground threw her way in order to make it back to the space that Shego discovered just last night. Part of her could not believe it was buried so deep, but in the same sense it was not buried deep enough. She sighed to herself as she looked down the pitch black hole. 

“I’m back and I’m not going to make an ass out of myself for a second time,” Vivian informed the bleakness that surrounded her like smoldering air.

She charged into the darkness as if she was made of steel. She could vaguely make out the familiar cold gray walls of the lab. A place that was once a second home to her, a place that was her legacy, a place that turned her into a monster. A place where she made friends, made enemies, and buried both. It was her burden, her tomb, her Hell, but she refused to let it be anyone else’s Hell.

She could still remember every corner as if she had just left yesterday. If she listened hard enough, she could even hear the joy of discovery, the laughter, the excitement. Of course, after that, she could hear the agony of that same discovery, the screams, and the fear. She shook those thoughts away and kept moving. She had the map in her head and went exactly to where she needed to be — the main power control room. She rushed the computer as if her life depended on.

“Please still work,” she murmured. If there was any type of just God in her unholy existence, the power would still work. 

Vivian swallowed down any nervousness building in her system as her fingers moved swiftly, expertly across the keyboard, like a pianist at her instrument. The lab came to life as lights switched on and a dozen monitors showed pictures of all sorts of data. Vivian’s attention turned to a monitor ahead of her as her fingers continued dancing across the keyboard.

“Okay, I’ve got juice. Now, I just need some time to connect and I’ll be ready to rid the world of a horrible mistake,” Vivian muttered to the air. _Why does it have to be this way? This was supposed to be salvation. Why did it have to come to this? It wasn’t supposed to be this way, but it is and I have to end it!_  

She continued working as if she was possessed. The words “Access to Sky Hook requested” appeared on screen and Vivian continued on. “Access granted” got a small smile from the woman, but she knew she still had a way to go. 

“The surge from the Sky Hook has to be enough power. It just has to and the Dragon Line has to be able to hold out,” Vivian said in a pant now. She was so close her heart felt like it was going to explode in her chest from anticipation. 

The white Knight rushed out of the room after that and back into the shadowed corridors. She ran directly to a wide, open space and had to stop. She could not even take in her surroundings as she felt a sick feeling erupt and spread like cancer through her entire form. She could hear blood-curdling screams and almost feel the blood raining down on her as it had so many years ago. Her body quivered and her stomach boiled in its own acid. Just when she thought that she was going to throw up from the overwhelming sensations, her body calmed down and she was able to press on.

She walked deeper into the room to discover what most people would have thought strange. There was a giant cocoon in the middle of the room. A purple substance wrapped around the cocoon like a melting chocolate coating. The substance spread around the floor, to the walls, creeping up the ceiling, and touching the tiles above from the cocoon itself. A sneer tugged at Vivian’s lip as her hard, icy gaze fall upon the accursed thing.

“Monster,” Vivian snarled. “Time to put an end to you.” 

She scanned around, knowing what she needed was nearby. She found the outlet and unhooked the machine on her shoulder. She plugged a cable into the outlet and then aimed her thick rifle at the cocoon. She smiled behind her visor as she heard the weapon charging. 

“I’m actually sorry about this. It’s not that you’re bad. You have potential to save the world and you were going to be our greatest achievement. Unfortunately, you also have freewill. We didn’t know what we were doing when we created you, didn’t know your will. You want nothing to do with us, nothing to do with the path we wanted for you. It’s your right, but I have a lot of people to think of. I can’t let you have any more of them. I just can’t. I wish you turned out differently. I would’ve liked for us to be able to make a positive change on the world. I would’ve liked to continue on loving you and I know you would have liked that, too. It’s why you took her, after all. But, you also wanted things beyond that. You desired all the wrong things. I am so sorry for that. Rest in peace,” Vivian said to the cocoon as she raised the cannon and prepared to fire.

“Hold it right there!” a familiar voice ordered from down the dark corridor.

Vivian whipped around, wondering who the hell followed her down there. She was not as surprised when she saw the light blue skin and dark blue jumpsuit emerging from the blackness of the hallway. The smirk on his face went all the way up to his scarred eye. 

“Vivian Porter,” Drakken greeted her in an almost warm tone, as if they were old friends. He was quite surprised to see she was wearing the hard suit. _Is she a Knight Saber?_ _Is she the one who started that ridiculous group, destroying all of my wonderful Bebes, and ruining my plans to the point that I_ had _to seek out the lab?_ Well, he would not let her get away with that. 

“Doctor Drakken, what the hell are you doing here?” she hissed. She thought she would be able to take care of this problem without any interference.

“You know what I’m doing here. I’d like to thank you for bringing us to her,” Drakken commented with a wicked grin.

“I’m not going to let you have her. You know what she’s like!” Vivian snarled. She could not understand why he would even think he was capable of controlling her. No one could control her! 

“She’s my creation!” Drakken barked back.

“She’s an abomination and I won’t let you unleash her on the world!” Vivian shouldered her cannon and took aim at the giant cocoon. 

Drakken flinched when she saw her raise the weapon. “Is that a…?” he trailed off, voice shaking with nervousness. But, then he dismissed his anxiety because if it was what he thought it was, then it was not a big deal.

“It is,” she confirmed.

“But, if a microwave cannon didn’t work before, what makes you think it’ll work now?” he laughed. _She’s such a silly woman_ , he thought. He had always thought so. “You didn’t even bother to take the seal down! At least before it was aimed right at her, not at her shell.” 

“All those years ago, we didn’t have the power to make it happened, but you’d be surprised by what kind of power surge you can get when the Sky Hook takes off,” Vivian remarked smugly and, as if on cue, data fed directly to her suit sensors alerted her the power spike she needed was about the be initiated. 

Drakken bulked at Vivian while she waited for the indicators for her to fire. The information charged right before her eyes, letting her know the Sky Hook was about to take off. As soon as she was informed the Sky Hook was moving, she pulled the trigger and shot right at the cocoon. A condensed, deep yellow, laser-looking beam blazed out of the cannon and right at the cocoon.

“Are you insane?” Drakken screamed, throwing his arms in the air. His face looked like it was ready to slide off of his skull as his jaw hit the floor.

The lights all around the lab dimmed and then went out altogether. The only light came from the beam that Vivian had focused on the cocoon, bathing the whole room in an eerie yellow hue. Drakken could not believe his eyes.

“You actually patched a cannon through to the Sky Hook to steal the power?” Drakken had to admit it was an ingenious plan, knowing all of the power the Sky Hook used to take off from the harbor and actually make it out to space. A cold bead of sweat ran down his face, dripping down onto the dark, padded floor.

Vivian smiled to herself. She had finally done something right. She had put her so-called brilliant mind to good use and done something right instead of doing something in the name of science. With luck, she had saved the world from a fate worse than death. 

She was so focused on her task she did not notice Felix as he came to the doorway of the lab. He halted right there, not really seeing anything ahead of him, not because of the dark, but because of his body. He started shaking and stared down at his hands, seeing a dull blue outline. The dull shade began to get brighter with each passing second and hummed with the lights as they started coming back on.

 _She’s calling me…_ Felix realized. A sense of dread settled in him, but he could not turn away. His body was not his own anymore.

Vivian smirked triumphantly as her cannon finally exhausted itself and the cocoon sizzled with smoke rising from it. “That should do it. The only thing left in there is melted goo. The cannon made things hotter than the sun inside that damn thing.” _Finally, it’s done_.

“How could you do that? How could you destroy her? She’s the only one that can make the Bebes do as they’re supposed to!” Drakken hollered. He looked ready to tear his hair out. _So close!_

Vivian was about to respond in quite the smug tone, but then she noticed her nephew, who made his way closer to the smoking cocoon. “Felix!” she screamed, hoping that he would stop whatever it was he was doing. It was too dangerous for him to be here.

“Felix?” Drakken echoed and turned to where Vivian was looking. For the second time in less than five minutes, Drakken’s jaw hit the floor. He remembered that boy. “Isn’t he supposed to be dead?” 

“Felix, get away from there!” Vivian implored the young man as he continued going closer to the cocoon. “Felix, why are you even here? Leave, now!”

Felix did not listen as the blue glow started to surround him. A matching true blue wrapped around the cocoon and began fading in and out, as if it was in tone with a heartbeat. Vivian’s attention snapped back to the cocoon as she noticed the phenomena going on. Drakken looked back at the cocoon, too, and a smirk curled onto his twisted features.

“What the hell is going on?” Vivian wondered aloud.

“She’s waking up!” Drakken said with glee. He dared to dance on his tiptoes with a giant grin on his face.

“Oh, this is bullshit!” Vivian declared in a heated tone. She was tempted to aim her cannon again, but without the power of the Sky Hook, she knew she would have just as much success throwing a rock at the cocoon as she would firing the cannon a second time.

The blue light surrounding the cocoon was now steady and strong. The cocoon shifted and Vivian could feel her insides churning. The only thing keeping Vivian from vomiting right then and there was the fact that she did not have anything in her stomach to heave up.

As the cocoon began to melt away, the latecomers of the gathering arrived — the Knight Sabers. They charged in just in time to see the cocoon coming apart like chocolate in the hot summer sun. They halted their advance, more due to shock than the fact they had no idea what was going on.

“Vivian!” Shego and Kim called while Tara took notice of Felix, who was entirely too interested in the moving cocoon. 

“Felix! Get away from there!” Tara entreated. 

“Yes, Felix! Listen to Tara and get the hell away from there!” Vivian concurred, her voice breaking and it sounded much like she was weeping.

Felix did not listen to anyone. It was like he did not even hear them. His entire being was centered on the cocoon. He reached out for the cocoon, as his glow persisted, growing intensely. The cocoon’s glow grew as well and then the cocoon began to split.

Suddenly, horrified screaming bounced off of the walls as the battle-ready Gemini employees started to witness strange phenomena. The Bebes they brought with them began twisting and morphing. Weapons merged into the Bebes hands. Drakken noticed and he smirked as the Bebes evolved right before their eyes. The robots roared and then turned their newly found wrath onto the men in charge of them.

“Why the hell are the Bebes attacking us?” one of the Gemini employees hollered as they opened fire on the rogue machines. It did nothing and the machines easily devoured the men.

The Knight Sabers did not even turn at the sound of the fighting. Their attention was honed in on their comrades. Felix, who seemed to be completely gone mentally, continued to advance on the creepy cocoon and Vivian, who was just screaming for her nephew to stay away.

“Felix, damn it, just get away from there!” Tara yelled at the top of her lungs. She charged forward, planning to just yank him away since he was struck deaf at the moment. She found that was not going to be possible, though.

The leg of Tara’s suit was caught and she was not sure what had it. She looked down to see that the muck on the floor, that came and went to the cocoon, winding itself around her leg. It slowly borrowed into her suit, like creeping worms. She screamed as if she was caught in a low-budget horror movie and tried yanking her leg away, but she was stuck.

“Don’t panic, Tara! I’ll get you,” Kim promised and she tried to move forward, only to discover she was a victim of the same affliction as her teammate. “I can’t move!” she growled. She was damn sure trying, though.

“Fuck! My suit isn’t responding!” Shego huffed as she forced herself to move, but it was a struggle and she could only move forward a few inches. Her suit stopped completely as the muck started sneaking up her leg.

The Knight Sabers found their hard suits rebelling against any orders as the substance on the floor invaded their armor, creeping up the suits like vines conquering a building, but from the inside. The hard suits bulged as it looked like snakes worked their way underneath the metal.

“Felix!” Vivian cried as her suit was yanked down to the floor as it was being invaded. The suit almost seemed to fuse with the floor and swallow bits of Vivian, leaving her in a helpless crouched position.

Drakken continued to smile as the shape-shifting Bebes roared again and cut through many of the human Gemini employees. Felix reached out and touched the cocoon. The cocoon spread open and everyone waited to see what type of butterfly would emerge.

Steam fluttered out of the cocoon first and the sky-colored aura that surrounded the thing dimmed. Felix glowed as bright as ever. He was glued to his spot, eyed fixed on inside of the structure. He began to reach out, as if he was offering his hand.

Something inside of Felix snapped at that moment and revolted against whatever had a hold on him. He wanted to pull his hand back and he ordered his hand to return to his side. His hand remained out, posed and waiting. He did not give up, though.

A small, tanned body stepped out of the cocoon. A little girl emerged from the steam, surprising everyone there, except for two scientists anyway. She was completely nude, but did not seem to notice or care. She smiled, her tropical, innocent blue eyes sparkling as she noticed Felix’s hand.

“Felix, please!” Vivian begged, voice raw with desperation. “Don’t touch her! Please!” she implored, reaching out with the one hand that was not pinned to the ground by manipulated metal. 

Just as the girl was about to take the offered hand, Felix passed out. His hand fell off to the wayside. Not even a second later, the warm, peach-colored hand was replaced by a black, glove-covered hand.

“Come on, my Queen. It’s time we took you home,” Drakken said as he took her hand, smiling down at the child. 

“No! No!” Vivian screamed as she tried to claw her away out of the suit, off the ground, and after that maniac. “Bring her back! Bring her back, you fucking idiot!”

Drakken just chuckled as he led the little girl out of the room. He passed by Shego and heard her snarling behind her mask. She tried to move, wanting to hurt him, and keep him from leaving with someone Vivian obviously did not think it was wise to take. He kept on moving, though, while she was stuck.

“Fucking piece of shit suit! Move, damn you!” Shego commanded the non-responsive hard suit, which did not help.

“Wave bye-bye,” Drakken remarked with a light chuckle.

“Bring back the Pupa!” Vivian called out, trying in vain to push herself up from the floor. 

The little girl turned around and locked right onto Vivian. The child offered Vivian a cherubic smile and a little wave for her troubles. Vivian screamed as if she was in sheer, twisted agony as the child entered the blackened hallway with her hand still in Drakken’s mitt.

“The Pupa!” Vivian howled like a wounded animal.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Learn who this child is that Drakken has as well as her connection to Vivian and to Felix.


	18. “Are You Using Me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept. The concept comes from the anime Bubblegum Crisis 2040. 
> 
> The title of the chapter comes from a song by Luther Vandross.

 

18: “Are You Using Me?”

“PUPA!” Vivian screamed at the top of her lungs, reaching out with the only limb she had use of. Her armor-covered body was pinned to the floor in the dimly lit ruins of the lab that had given birth to Bebes. Her hand was out stretched for a little girl, a little girl who strolled with Doctor Drakken.

The glowing, tanned girl paused. Drakken did the same since he was with her. He was about to say something as the girl turned around to face Vivian. Vivian cried out again and the child tilted her head to the side, as if she was insulted by being called such. Vivian noticed the expression, but what she really cared about was that she had the girl’s attention. 

“Bonnie,” Vivian corrected herself, trying her best to sound like an understanding parent speaking to a naughty child. A smile graced the girl’s smooth features.

“Vivian, who the fuck is that kid?” Shego demanded, growling as she struggled to move. That was actually the question of the hour for all of the Knight Sabers.

“Bonnie, please!” Vivian begged. She was not too sure what she pled for, but she knew she had to do everything in her power to get the girl back to where she belonged and then destroy the damned thing.

Drakken arched an ebony eyebrow, curious as to what he was seeing. The girl continued to smile and it seemed like she was about to take a step toward Vivian. Drakken frowned and grabbed the child by the hand. He gave her hand a small yank, causing her to look up at him. He grinned at her, a crooked and twisted expression. The child waved at Vivian and then allowed Drakken to walk her out of the room, down the dark corridor, and leaving the Knight Sabers to their own fates.

“Damn it!” Shego snarled, continuing to try to rip her suit away from the floor, which it was fused to.

“Felix, are you all right?” Tara screamed, her attention completely on the unconscious fellow not too far from them. She grunted and groaned while trying to get her suit to move, so that she could rush to his side. “I can’t move!” she cried.

“Everybody calm down! Panicking isn’t going to help!” Kim pointed out.

“Fuck that! We have to move!” Shego growled.

Kim sighed and then an idea popped into her mind. “Eject yourselves out of your suits!” she suggested. After all, it was not like they were physically stuck. It was just the suits that were.

She was met with the first beat of silence since they all arrived. She rolled her eyes, knowing they were quietly questioning her intelligence or sanity or both. Kim tried it first and the sound of her suit opening hissed through the air, sounding more like salvation more than anything else in the world to the battered Knights.

“Shit, the safety system must still be on,” Shego realized and she followed Kim’s example. “I guess you’re not totally useless, after all, princess,” she commented. 

Kim ignored the comment for once while scanning the area, taking everything in and trying to figure out what they should do next. Shego did the same for the same reason while Tara managed to get out of her suit. The room was clear, except for the fallen Gemini soldiers. Kim spotted Vivian and rushed over to her, seeing she was stuck to the floor as if her suit was melted into the ground.

“Vivian!” Kim called as she rushed over to the fallen woman. Her movement caught Shego’s attention.

Shego looked at Vivian and then into the dark hallway Drakken had disappeared into minutes earlier. She growled and ran over to Kim, trying to help her tear Vivian out of her suit. In the background, they were vaguely aware of Tara crying for Felix to wake up.

“Why won’t this thing open?” Kim grunted, pulling on the suit. She did not have any better ideas aside from trying to yank the suit open. It would not eject unless Vivian gave that command. Vivian seemed too far gone to do much of anything, though.

“Move!” Shego growled as she pushed the younger woman away and then she let out a scream as she slammed her fist into the battery in Vivian’s suit. That damage did the trick. Finally, Vivian was freed from the metal, body-shaped coffin.

Vivian shivered as if she was freezing to death. Shego leaned down and picked Vivian up. Kim put her hands out to indicate Shego should be gentle with the older woman. 

“Vivian could have injuries or something, so be careful,” Kim urged the biker.

“So? We need to get her the hell out of here no matter what. She’ll have to bear with that shit,” Shego replied. 

They both took a moment to regard Vivian, noticing how she did not stop trembling. Her eyes were wide, glassy, like she had just witnessed a horrible tragedy. It was like she was staring into oblivion and not sure what she should do.

“We need to get the hell outta here,” Shego stated, looking around for any possible threats. 

Kim nodded and she rushed over to Tara. She helped Tara gather Felix out of his chair. They supported Felix while Shego supported Vivian. The group started their trek out of the underground lab. They made their way out of the laboratory and into the ruins of the old Go City. As they marched on, Tara noticed it sounded like Vivian was whispering something. She strained her ears and heard what was being said. 

“The Pupa…” Vivian said in the lowest tone possible, like the word had the power to destroy the universe if she said it louder. She shivered, her teeth chattering.

“The Pupa? What’s that?” Tara asked. 

“How the fuck should we know?” Shego barked with a glare at Tara. Her face tightened with every mumble from her cargo. _What the hell was this crazed woman ranting about now?_

“Shego, don’t snap at her,” Kim scolded the older female. She waited for a response that never came and then turned her attention to Vivian. “Vivian, come on, snap out of it,” she begged.

“Pupa…” Vivian shivered more.

Kim was about to press Vivian, to try to get her out of her shock, but Shego halted her with a raised hand. They came to a hole in the ceiling and Shego saw a light moving above them. Kim and Tara looked up to see it, too. 

“Shit, what now?” Shego muttered as she propped Vivian up against a rock large enough for her to sit on. Vivian slumped like a doll against the rock wall. 

“Shego, what’re you doing?” Kim asked in a whisper.

“I’m going to go check it out. Wait here,” Shego ordered them. 

Knowing that arguing would get them nowhere, Kim and Tara nodded. The eldest of the trio climbed out of the hole and watched as a light came toward her. She growled as she tried to figure out who was dumb enough to be down there. Her question was answered moments later and she almost laughed out loud.

“Who’s there?” a familiar deep voice called as the flashlight became a spotlight on Shego. 

She squinted as the bright light shined in her eyes, yet she could still make out the unwanted form of Steve Barkin. “Nobody’s here. You should just go away,” she answered with a frown. 

Barkin chuckled as he realized who stood before him. “Who would’ve thought I’d run into the singing princess down here.” He turned the light away from her and shined it in his own face for her to see it was him.

Shego sucked her teeth. “Idiot. Turn around and get the hell out of here.”

Barkin did not seem to hear her because he did not respond… at least not to her words. “You know, you shouldn’t be wandering around here dressed like that. It’s cold and everything.” His eyes were fixed below her neck. 

The biker remembered what she was dressed in, just the one-piece suits they wore under their hard suits. She glanced down at her body, taking in what he was seeing. She snarled and was very tempted to beat him silly, but her mind pointed out she did not have the time for that. 

“Pervert. Why don’t you just get the hell out of here?” she commanded with a sneer curling her lip into a feral expression. She placed her arm over her breasts, so he did not have anything to ogle anymore.

“You know, you really shouldn’t be down here,” Barkin warned her. “Why are you down here?” 

“Don’t fucking worry about what I’m doing. Why don’t you just get the fuck out of here?” Shego snarled and motioned violently in front of her with her hand, as if shooing him away.

“You know, GJ got reports said the Knight Sabers were down here doing some sort of sabotage or terror attack,” Barking informed her. 

“So the hell what? You gonna call your fucking goon squad down here?” Shego demanded. Her stance instantly became more rigid and defensive as she realized he could just do that. _With or without the hard suit, I can still take stupid fucking GJ_. She just was not sure if the rest of her team, beyond Kim, would be up for that battle.

Barkin arched an eyebrow to her subtle movement. He shined his light down the hole that she stood near and caught a glimpse of three people before they retreated into the shadows. He then turned back to Shego.

“Is anybody hurt?” Barkin asked with some concern.

“It’s none of your fucking business. Now, just go the fuck away,” Shego ordered in an impatient snarl.

“Well, GJ has been ordered to stay away from all of this, so I’m not really on duty,” he said, hoping that would at least get her to calm down.

Shego remained tense and on guard. Barkin sighed and scratched the back of his head before setting down his flashlight and turning to walk away. She stared at the flashlight for a moment and then marched over to it, punting it down the dark corridor. She smiled when she heard Barkin yelp as the light made contact with his body; she hoped it hit him in his arrogant ass. She then turned around to go back into the hole and retrieve her group.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian sat by her pool in her garden on the roof of her home, the building that housed the Silk Android. She was not sure how she got there or how she got into her favorite robe. Really, she was not too aware she was even at home. Her eyes were open, but she hardly saw anything. Only in the back of her mind did she have time to consider she was home.

“The Pupa…” Vivian whispered as she had been doing the whole day. It was the only thing she had said since the emergence of the tanned-skin girl. 

The Knight Sabers had wondered who or what “the Pupa” was. Of course, Vivian was in no mind frame to answer or explain. The group had brought her home and taken enough care to change her out of her cat suit from the hard suit. Kim had put her robe on her and from there they left Vivian to Will, thinking he would be the best one to care for her since he knew about her quirks.

Will had not been totally sure what he was to do with her, but he knew he had to try. He placed Vivian by her pool, thinking her favorite lounge area would help her. So, far, it was not proving the case.

The butler sighed and set up a tray next to his catatonic mistress. On the tray was a tall, cool glass of iced tea, lacking the usual alcohol that Vivian would have ordered in it, or the pills she might have taken along with it. He doubted she needed anything like that right now, but she did not even take notice of the beverage. 

The tray also held a small radio. He turned it on for her. Some soft classical music played and he walked away, hoping she might be relaxed enough to come out of her shell-shocked state. The music did not play long as a news break came through the airwaves.

“After some investigation, it was found out that the shockwave earlier was due to a tunnel collapsing underground. The tunnel itself was made from the earthquake years ago. Officials are planning to fill it and other sections with concrete to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again,” a sweet female voice reported. “Now, back to an hour of commercial free music.”

“The Pupa…” Vivian whispered again and she shook, trembling in her chair as if she was suffering from hypothermia. The chair clattered against the floor, calling out to no one.

-8-8-8-8-

The girl Vivian called “the Pupa” sat on a large, canopy bed that looked like it could swallow her small body whole. Curious tropical eyes scanned new surroundings as tiny, chubby legs kicked back and forth. _So much more space_.

The walls of the room were like honeycomb in design, but a dull grey in color. They curved, creating a dome rather than a flat ceiling. The floor was done in plain white tile with a deep blue rug near the bed. The bed was the only furnishing in the room. 

A cough from in front of her caused the Pupa to turn her attention from the wall to the person standing before her. Drakken was in front of her, managing to contain a grin. He giggled like a schoolgirl and danced on the inside, though. He was so tickled, thinking he had finally won.

“Do you remember me, Pupa?” Drakken asked, placing his hand proudly on his chest.

Her head tilted to the side, eyes growing just a little wider. His expression dropped a little when she did not answer. He cleared his throat.

“It’s nice to see you again, Pupa,” Drakken said as politely as possible.

He was once again met with a strange look. He glanced away and searched his mind for something to get a favorable reaction from her. She continued to stare at him, as if waiting for him to do something to entertain her. After a few seconds, it looked like a light bulb went off in his head. 

“Being called ‘the Pupa’ doesn’t really fit you. It links you too much to those drones, but you’re not a drone like the other Bebes. You’re not a puppet. You’re the perfect Bebe, the Queen of them all. The original. The one who controls them all and makes them do what they were created for. Porter called you by a name. She called you Bonnie. Can I call you that?” he requested. 

The girl only blinked and he smiled, as that was the most reaction he had gotten from her. He recalled she reacted when Vivian called her that as well.

“Bonnie it is then,” he decided. 

Bonnie did not speak. Drakken paused to laugh for a little, feeling a little uncomfortable with her silence. He took a step closer to her and kneeled before her. He reached out to touch her, but paused halfway and put his hand on his knee instead.

“I remember when you were just a dream. A dream that a lot of people would claim, but you were born in my mind before all of those other idiots. I thought of you first. I wanted to create the perfect servant, the perfect robot, but you’re beyond even that. Thanks to a lot of scientific minds, but mostly mine, you’re a whole new species, a whole new entity. You’re something beyond all of their understandings. They didn’t know, they still don’t know. They tried to ruin my dream with their worthless ideals,” he announced in a grand fashion, speaking rather quickly because of his excitement.

Drakken had to take a breath. Bonnie regarded him with an almost curious look in her blue eyes. The scientist did not know what to make of that look. For a moment, he felt like there was an intelligence there to rival a human being’s, but he was sure that was wrong. While Bonnie was a new type of entity that did not mean she was supremely intelligent, but she certainly looked it, even with her young, cherubic face.

“They had such weird ideas. Here, in you, we had something much more advance than mankind had ever seen, than mankind ever was, and those idiots wanted to use you to help mankind, even that idiot Gemini. Sure, I know he thought he was going to make a lot of money off of Bebes, but he was with them. They just overlooked your true potential. He wanted to have all of this money using you and he would buy ways of controlling the world. What an idiot. They all were. While they had their dreams, I had my own, my own brilliant dreams. You were my creation, mine to use. So, you’re going to make my dreams come true, Bonnie. You’re going to awaken all of the Bebes for me. You’re going to give me my dream and help me rule this world. Awaken the Bebes for me, Bonnie,” he ordered.

Bonnie blinked hard and tilted her head to the side again. “Bebe?”

-8-8-8-8-

Tara’s eyes watered, but she wiped away the tears before they had a chance to fall. Her usually cheerful blue eyes were flooded with concern, grief, and confusion as they watched the very still Felix. Her mind went a mile-a-minute, but did not really get anywhere in regards to what the hell happened earlier in the day. 

“Felix…” she whispered, not sure what she wanted to say after that. She held onto his hand, standing by him, hoping for some sign that he was still in there. 

Her eyes never left him, even though she was not sure what to make of him. She barely was able to take in the depressing scene around her. The cold, dingy, dark grey room with the cracked concrete floor seemed a million miles wide to her, but was the size of any normal room. The bed that Felix lay in was wide, but had a simple metal frame. He was covered in basic blankets. There was nothing elaborate about the place.

“God, Felix…” Tara whimpered as some tears finally escaped her eyes and burned paths down her cheeks.

“He’s just asleep now,” Betty said as she came into the room. They were at her place because no one expected Will to take care of both the aunt and the nephew. Betty had volunteered to take Felix for reasons she did not bother to explain to the Knight Sabers, not that they expected her to.

Tara turned around to face the mechanic, after making sure to wipe away her evidence of her weeping. Betty took note of the red and puffy eyes that now regarded her, but of course, she did not mention it. Betty glanced over to the bed.

“He was up a little while ago when you fell asleep. He ate a little bit to help calm himself down, so you shouldn’t worry about him,” Betty pointed out. 

“Betty… Felix is… weird. He’s not… right,” Tara said without thinking. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

Neither Betty nor Tara noticed Felix’s face twitched a little. Betty responded, “If he’s weird or not, that doesn’t really hold any baring to who you think he is and how you feel about him.”

Tara’s mouth dropped out. Her brain did not want to believe what she was hearing or who she was hearing it from. First and foremost, Betty never said anything that seemed close to sensitive. Adding to the shock, she knew, deep down, it was something she would say to any person in her position.

“I think he’s a great kid with a brilliant spirit and a kind heart. He’s a wonderful assistant and he always wants to help. He’s an amazing person and he’s not a Bebe,” the one-eyed woman stated soundly. “But, you know that, right?” 

A blond head nodded. “He’s still…” she trailed off. She just could not bring herself to say it. Saying it would make it real, would make everything more bizarre and she feared she might not be able to cope with it all.

“I’m not human,” Felix chimed in, speaking in a low voice.

Betty and Tara turned to him. They gasped, stunned to see him sitting up in bed. He was staring down at his hands, which were open in his lap. The blankets still covered him from the waist down. He looked over at them, but his eyes focused on Tara. Her eyes watered again.

“I’m so sorry about all of that,” she said, realizing he heard her talking about how he was not human. Her heart clenched, scared he now thought badly of her. Her stomach was ready to rebel at the very thought of him disliking her.

“I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble, for making you cry,” Felix apologized with a sorrowful smile on his face.

“You don’t have to apologize, silly,” she sniffled.

“I do. I mean, I was told not to go in there, but for some reason, I just couldn’t help myself. I had to go there…” Felix told them, sounding slightly perplexed himself.

“Felix, who is that girl? The one Vivian called the Pupa?” Tara asked. She wanted to ask so many things at once; that was just the first thing that happened to make it out. The girl seemed to have some effect on him, some connection to him, Tara thought. Maybe finding out more about the girl would give her a better understanding of Felix. 

“She’s similar to me, but very different. She’s, well, she’s kind of like my cousin and sister mixed together,” Felix answered. He was slightly thankful that the occasion was too serious for someone to make a redneck joke.

“What?” Tara’s face twisted into something more bewildered than before.

Betty sighed and went to take a seat. She flopped down in her chair and went into the pocket of her dark blue jumpsuit. She pulled out a dented silver flask and took a deep swig before saying anything.

“The Pupa started out as a piece of Vivian and her sister, Rebecca. She is an organic being, growing from part of Vivian’s and her sister’s brains and their blood,” Betty replied. 

“They cloned themselves?” Tara asked, glancing at Felix, thinking he looked nothing like Vivian. As soon as that thought hit her, she realized the Pupa did not look anything like Vivian either.

“No, nothing like that. In the lab, they actually called Bonnie, Vivian and Rebecca’s child since she had their DNA, but she wasn’t a clone. I don’t know exactly how they managed it since all of their fields of science are beyond me for the most part, but a team of scientists was able to create a something that was not quite human and not quite a machine. Vivian and Rebecca had dreams of using the technology to save human lives. They were able to do with Felix not too long after they created Bonnie,” Betty said.

“Right… he died…” Tara muttered.

“Indeed he did. Now, he didn’t really die, but he would have. He’s been listed as dead because Vivian and her sister didn’t want anyone to know just yet what they were capable of doing with this technology. The company was full of untrustworthy souls and who knows what a company who liked to worry about the bottom line would do with such technology anyway. Gemini Corporation owned what came out of that lab and the sisters weren’t ready to deal with all of the problems. They were especially worried about what might happen to Felix, so they sent him away. Felix is really Vivian’s nephew and he is Rebecca’s son. They were able to save his life through this new technology they developed and hoped to do it for others. Just the thought had put such brilliant smiles on their faces…” Betty paused, a distant look in her eye for just a moment, as if she was reliving the memory.

“Unreal…” Tara muttered. She never would have guessed Vivian was capable of such things. Vivian was a brilliant scientist, trying to save human lives and caught up in contracts with the business work. Amazing, it was hard to reconcile that with the Vivian she knew, but now Vivian’s erratic and self-destructive behavior made some sense. 

Betty took another drink before continuing. “Bonnie is the archetype for all of the Bebes, who are biological entities to a degree, but very much machines, too. Felix is something different because he was originally human. Still, he is like a Bebe, but not one.”

Tara nodded and focused to stay on her feet. She looked over at Felix, who appeared to be on the verge of tears himself. He let out a lifeless, humorless laugh.

“I can’t believe she’s alive. Everyone was so sure the earthquake killed her. The earthquake was supposed to be a gift and it was supposed to kill her. Deep down maybe I knew, but the earthquake was supposed to kill her. I had hoped… but, hope didn’t do anything in the end,” Felix muttered, speaking more to himself than anyone else.

“How horrible! Don’t they know how many people died in that earthquake?” Tara demanded, looking back and forth between the mechanic and her assistant. She could not believe Felix would call something so destructive a gift.

“Trust me, the earthquake was the lesser of two evils, even though I never agreed with the decision. It was still the best option,” Betty argued.

“How can you say that?” Tara glared at Betty as if she was evil to even think that. “All those people!”

“I saw what the Pupa entity was capable of and I only saw the aftermath. I can only guess what it was like, what she was like, as everything happened,” Betty said, her eye focusing on the cold floor. 

-*-(Flashback: October 29, 2033)-*-

Loud alarms blared, red lights flashed, and shouts could be heard outside of the lab thanks to the loud speaker. The noises were not extremely loud on the outside of the modern, two story building, but they were deafening on the inside. Outside, the place almost looked peaceful in the front of the white structure that had a garden and a fountain on each side of it. Inside, pandemonium reigned supreme, though. 

“What the hell is going on?”

“The barriers have been breached! The shell is open!” 

Red lights continued to flash, signaling that doom was already upon most. Bodies in white coats and security uniforms littered the floor. Deep crimson blood flowed, giving the halls small rivers of blood running through each of them. Veins appeared to bulge from the walls and creep down the halls. Thick wires burst through and crumbled other walls, allowing screams from one room to invade others.

“Oh, god! The Pupa is going to surface! Seal the area! Seal the area!”

Large metallic doors slammed shut, pounding against each other as they all shut out the world. Over a half-dozen doors closed rapidly, but the metal in the center almost immediately began to warp and twist. Crooked branches of metal bulged in the doors and cables meandered through like writhing serpents.

“We’ve got to do something! We can’t let the Pupa get outside!” 

“Oh, god, the world is doomed! Humanity is doomed!”

“We’ve let loose the apocalypse!” 

All of the metal doors peeled back, revealing a smiling, glowing Bonnie. The child was nude and surrounded by pale blue glow. Bundles of wires and cables rushed by her and conquered the walls and floors of the lab, including outside of the building. It took seconds for the whole structure to look like veins were growing right under the surface of the building and were strangling it.

“We can’t stop her!” This voice sounded like it was bawling at the very idea. 

Outside, SWAT teams arrived on the scene. Many of the officers grimaced, not sure what to make of what they were seeing. They could hear all of the screams inside of the building, causing them to wonder what type of horror was taking place inside the strange structure. It sounded like massacre, wet noises and metal grinding. Before they could even make it to the entrance of the lab, they found themselves caught up in the phenomenon.

The SWAT trucks twisted and changed as veins started to protrude from the metal. The men gasped, but did not have the chance to act. Their own weapons twisting and morphing in their hands followed the shifting metal of the trucks. Their weapons tore into their flesh. The police officers hollered in terror as they were slain with ease by their own equipment. 

Bonnie paused, still in the hallways of the lab. She giggled as her eyes fell on the piles of bodies, blood oozing from their broken forms.

-8-8-8-8-

The owner of Gemini Corporation, Bernard Gemini, growled as he watched the child laugh from a video monitor in his office. He slammed his fist into his desk and then turned his eyes toward his son.

“The lab was your responsibility, Sheldon! What the hell is going on down there?” Bernard demanded, pouring over the reports come in. He was not even sure what to make of it.

“The scientists let the Entity escape again,” the younger Gemini, then known as Sheldon, replied. “They can’t keep a lock on the damn thing! The Hive Phenomenon has outlived its usefulness and we need to do something about it. They couldn’t control it in the larva stage and now they can’t control it in the pupa stage. We can’t trust them to try to control it anymore, knowing things will only get worse. We _need_ to do something about it.” Sheldon looked down at his hand, the one long gone.

Bernard frowned. “The last time the Entity breached its shell it did a lot of damage, including harming both of my children,” he muttered that more to himself. He never really knew the details of the first incident, but by the end of it, his son Sheldon and his daughter Betty had lost an eye apiece and Sheldon lacked a hand.

Before he could say anything to Sheldon, the phone rang. Bernard was tempted not to pick up, but the caller ID informed him it was the one person he would like to talk to. He put the phone on speaker.

“Yes, Betty?” Bernard answered, thinking Betty might be able to help. Sheldon balked at the sound of the name. 

“Dad, what the hell is going on at the lab? I’ve been calling for twenty fucking minutes and nobody’s picking up!” Betty huffed. She had also been hearing things from her police friends and she did not like what she heard.

“Why are you calling the lab? It’s not your responsibility anymore! You blew your chance when you let the Pupa get out!” Sheldon shouted. 

“Someone let her out!” Betty argued with a vivacious snarl. Heaven help her if she ever found out who the hell did let that damned thing out! 

“Enough! I don’t need sibling rivalry between you two right now! The damned Entity has escaped again and I need solutions now!” Bernard hollered.

“It escaped?” Betty howled in disbelief. _FUCK_ _!_ So, everything she had heard was undoubtedly true or worse.

“I know what to do, Dad!” Sheldon offered quickly, wanting to beat his sister to a solution. “We need to seal the whole lab, make sure that thing doesn’t get out. The military division is finished with its earthquake maker.” 

Bernard and Betty gasped. “What the hell are you saying?”

“There’s no other way. We can’t let it get out, after all,” Sheldon pointed out.

“Dad, you can’t! All those people!” Betty objected. Not just the lab, either. She knew the power of that machine.

“We can’t let the Pupa escape or there will be no people,” Bernard said grimly.

“Dad!” Betty shouted. _Vivian…_ The sound of her car engine revving roared through the phone.

-8-8-8-8-

Doctor Vivian Porter and her sister Doctor Rebecca Renton stumbled through the halls of the lab that they both worked in. Blood dripped down Vivian’s face while she supported her sister against her shoulder. The sisters looked much like twins, but Rebecca’s hair was shorter and she did not have the same mole as Vivian. They stopped when they saw Bonnie’s back.

“Bonnie!” the sisters called sweetly.

The child spun around, her brown-hair twirling around her. She smiled as she faced them and clapped when she saw Rebecca holding out her hand. Bonnie trotted over to them and continued smiling as she took the offered hand.

“Bonnie, you’ve been a very naughty girl. We told you to stay in your room,” Rebecca softly scolded the child. She forced out a small laugh, covering up a cough. 

Bonnie smiled again, apparently guilt free. The trio turned around and walked slowly down the dark hall, swallowed by the blackness that enveloped most of the lab. A door whizzed open and they walked Bonnie to a platform that held a large, brown, round containment unit. It looked like a walnut shell, so most people referred to as The Shell.

“Sweetie, we need you to go back in the room,” Vivian said in a tender tone, looking down at Bonnie.

“You’re not old enough yet to play outside,” Rebecca chimed in.

“This isn’t why you were created, sweetie. When you’re older, you’ll understand and you’ll know how to use your powers much better and then you can play outside all you want,” Vivian promised. 

“We’ll be here for you to guide you like always, but you have to mature, so you won’t be naughty anymore,” Rebecca practically cooed at the girl.

“Aunties, stay,” Bonnie requested with her usual smile.

Before Rebecca or Vivian could answer, wires and cables that shot out from every direction and seized them. The sisters were ripped away from each other. Vivian slammed into the wall, blood gushing out of her mouth on impact. Rebecca was yanked to the ceiling. Bonnie walked into the shell as the sisters screamed in agony as their bonds tightened around them.

Vivian thought she was as good as dead when a familiar sports’ car roared into the room; the front end of the car was totaled. Vivian was certain she was seeing things. Her brain brought about illusions to comfort her as she faded into death.

“VIVIAN!” Betty screamed as she leaped out of the damaged car. She scanned the wide area, turning her head in every direction. She spotted blue eyes she knew so well, staring at her from the wall.

The one-eyed woman rushed over and aimed her wrist at the wires. A laser came out of her wristband and she was able to cut Vivian free. The blond fell into her arms. 

“Rebecca!” Vivian called, gazing up at the ceiling where there was still a glimpse of peach flesh and blond hair. Blood rained down on Betty and Vivian before Rebecca disappeared into ceiling. Vivian did not even flinch as her sister’s blood splattered all of her.

“Viv, we have to get out of here! This whole place is going to be underground soon!” Betty said.

“REBECCA!” Vivian screamed as tears poured down her face, mixing with her blood and her sister’s blood. Betty pulled her into the car and peeled off as quickly as possible, tremors already shaking the car.

-*-(End Flashback)-*-

Tara could not believe what she was hearing. Her jaw was practically on the floor as Betty finished the tale. It was just so much to take in.

“You’re… you’re related to Gemini?” Tara whispered.

Sighing, Betty tipped her flask toward Tara. “His twin sister. I almost inherited the company. My father stepped down after the quake, the guilt just ate him alive, knowing what sort of decision he needed to make there. I had been working on a project of my own at the time, so he entrusted the company to my brother, Sheldon. Sheldon went to work immediately trying to get whatever survivors from the lab who were still alive. He had plans for the Bebes, even if he didn’t very much trust Bonnie. But, I didn’t trust him. Vivian was in no shape to go back, but I knew he would pressure her. So, I hid her away until he stopped looking. The second she found out about the Bebes…” Betty trailed off, figuring Tara could fill that one in. 

“She created the Knight Sabers. Something like her redemption?”

“Something like that. She knew about the chances of Bebes going berserk and she knew about the chances of Bonnie returning.” 

“Is that little girl really that dangerous?” Tara asked. She just could not believe it. The child that they saw underground appeared as threatening as a box of newborn puppies.

“I was in charge of the lab until Bonnie escaped the first time. Vivian thinks Drakken had something to do with Bonnie getting out both time. The first time, Vivian and Rebecca were able to talk Bonnie back into her Shell. The first time it happened was scary. A few people died or were maimed. My brother lost his eye and hand while taking the time to make sure I lost an eye, too. But, the second time she escaped, it was a massacre. Wholesale slaughter of anything made of flesh and blood,” Betty answered.

“Why?” Tara asked in a trembling voice. Her body shook, but she did not notice.

“Vivian told me that Bonnie just isn’t mature yet. That was why they referred to her as the Pupa. She’s a child with a lot of power. Vivian and Rebecca planned on raising her, like a child, easing her into the role they created her for, but they never got the chance. Now, she’s free again and able to use her powers just as before…” Betty sighed and shook her head. 

“This is why Vivian hates berserker Bebes…” Tara muttered. The observation earned her nods from the mechanic and her assistant. 

“She thinks it’s her fault that all of this happened. She doesn’t take into account that she was just one of many that developed Bebes and they all had noble reasons for what they did. Whenever I tried to talk her out of such thinking, she would always tell me the path to hell was paved with good intentions,” the mechanic remarked, forcing out a laugh of her own.

“It’s my fault…” Felix gasped. “I went out of control, just like the Bebes. I went berserk. It felt good, but I went berserk. I thought I came here because I missed Vivian, but it wasn’t that. The Pupa… she was calling me. She wanted to get out. She wanted out and she wanted me to free her…” he realized. He had played right into Bonnie’s hands, even though in the end she did not need him because Drakken showed up. 

Betty shook her head and put her hand on his shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Felix. You didn’t do anything. She was going to get out because of Drakken and she got out because of Drakken. He should’ve left her buried. He should’ve let Vivian destroy her. Instead, he wants to use her for whatever twisted schemes he has. None of this is your fault and you have to fight her if she ever tries to control you again. You are not a Bebe and none of this is your fault.”

Shaking his head, Felix stared at the floor. “Still, maybe it would be better if I just didn’t exist. She wouldn’t have called me…” He sniffled.

“Stop it already!” Tara cried. “You’re here and you should be!” She threw herself on him. “None of this is your fault! You didn’t have anything to do with this! You didn’t!” She wept on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry for all of the trouble I’ve been causing you. You keep crying because of me,” Felix said softly, wrapping his arms around her. He rubbed her back, earning a nod from Betty. Felix smiled a bit.

“I’m sorry, too. We left your chair,” Tara whimpered. Felix could not help it, he let out a huge laugh.

“It’s quite all right. I don’t really need it. It was supposed to help keep the Pupa from reaching out to me by having me use as little of my reconstructed parts, but obviously it didn’t work. Nothing could block her signal. It’s okay,” Felix assured Tara, making sure to keep his arms around her. He then focused his eyes on Betty. “Thank you so much for taking care of my aunt.” 

Betty shook her head. “I haven’t taken the best of care of that sweet woman. Too much guilt and drinking, for both of us.”

“But, you’re the one who has Will looking after her, aren’t you?” Felix asked. 

If Betty was shocked, she did not show it. She sipped her flask again. “Someone more responsible than I am right now needs to watch her. Will is more than capable.” 

“So, again, thank you for taking care of my aunt, as best you can,” Felix said.

“As best I can…” Betty scoffed, rolling her eye. She had never felt so useless in her life, which said a lot. “We do what we can for those we love,” she whispered before capping her flask and flinging it into the dark hallways. _And we always hurt the ones we love._

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Shego figures out something about the hard suits that just turns her stomach.


	19. “Easier to Run”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept. The concept comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The title of the chapter comes from a song by Linkin Park. 

 

19: “Easier to Run”

Shego sat at the drum set that her baby brother often left on stage in the Bermuda Triangle. She lightly tapped the drumsticks against the drum. If she concentrated enough, she could hear the laughter of children as they learned to play each of their instruments. She frowned, memories of times long gone haunting her. Ghosts of the past, always on her back, always floating in front of her, always right out of reach.

The soft click of shoes on the floor caught her attention. Emerald eyes glanced up, knowing there was only one person capable of tracking her down that quickly; Vivian probably would have needed a few more minutes considering the condition they left her in. Kim stood before her, looking confused and angry, but not sure why.

“You’re not going to bother to go see Vivian, are you?” Kim asked as she stood in front of the stage. Silence was her answer. “Tara went to see Felix and make sure he was all right.” This time a drum beat was her response. Olive eyes glared at the singer. “Are you even listening to me?” she demanded, looking around for something to throw at the biker. A chair seemed mighty tempting.

“I don’t give a shit and neither should you. Vivian isn’t your fucking friend. Tara isn’t your sister. We’re just people who used to work together, nothing more,” Shego growled.

Emerald eyes hardened and Shego’s mind flooded with memories and thoughts of her life as a whole. Everything was so fucked up and now she was more outraged than ever, closer to the cause of much of her misery than she had ever known. She wanted to set ruins to everything right now.

Kim’s eyes changed too, sorrow overtaking any anger. “Used to?” she echoed, sounding hurt and bewildered.

“We’re fucking done, pumpkin. Get that through your head,” Shego declared.

Kim flinched and glanced away. Shego went back to pounding the drums, punishing them for her problems. She suddenly ignited her hands, charring the sticks, and then she climbed to her feet. She stared Kim down.

“You’re quitting?” Kim asked in a quiet tone. “You’re not going to wear your suit anymore?”

Shego scoffed. “Come on, Kimmie. You’re not that stupid!” She threw her hand out. “You know we can’t put those fucking suits on again!”

“Well, not those…” Kim trailed off.

“And I’m not wearing one of those fucking things again!” Shego glared her down. “Like I said, I know you’re not stupid. I know you noticed what happened down there!”

Kim winced a bit and her gaze once more fell to the floor, searching for a response. Obviously, she knew exactly what Shego meant. Shego growled.

“Yeah, you noticed. We lost control of our hard suits down there, just like those fucking Bebes when that Pupa thing appeared. Just us and the Bebes. Those bastards from Gemini were totally fine and you know why,” Shego said in a steely tone, pointing an accusing finger at the redhead, as if everything was her fault.

“Well, I wouldn’t say fine,” Kim muttered. Those Bebes kind of went to town on the Gemini goons.

“That’s not the fucking point!” Shego bellowed.

“I’m sure there’s a reason—” Kim started, but was cut off.

“Yeah, the reason is that those fucking suits are fucking Bebes! And everybody fucking knew except for us!” Shego roared, eyes blazing with pure fury. “Viv, Bets, and Felix all knew just what the hell those things were and never said a fucking thing to us!” She thought about when she saw Betty using Gemini parts and now she felt she knew why. Gemini was the only company that would make parts to fit a Bebe. “They all totally fucked us!” she added with a snarl.

Kim was quiet for a moment, eyes searching nothing. “But, if that’s true… where are the cores?” She had come to the same conclusion as Shego, but she could not figure out where the cores were for their hard suits. If the suits did not have cores, then were they technically Bebes? She was not sure.

Shego’s face twisted with rage. “Fuck if I know, but I know they’re buried in there somewhere. How dare they!” she snarled, wrapping her arms around herself, now looking both violated and furious. _How dare they make me wear a damned Bebe?_

Suddenly a familiar voice interrupted them. “I think I get it now,” Barkin said as he approached the duo. 

Green eyes turned and glared at the intruder. “The fuck are you doing here? Come to arrest us?” Shego demanded.

Barkin shrugged. “I’m off duty. I just came here thinking there might be a show tonight or something. I was hoping to see Shattered Comet,” he remarked, trying to pull off a charming smile that just made him look somewhat creepy.

“Seems to me you were eavesdropping. How fucking low can you get?” Shego scowled.

Barkin folded his arms across his chest and had the nerve to look rather smug as he replied, “You weren’t exactly whispering you know.”

“Yeah, but it was a private fucking conversation, you nosy bastard.”

Barkin again tried to give her a charming smile, as if he hoped it would get him off the hook. Still, he just looked creepy to Shego and she was tempted to knock his teeth out. She considered that might help him understand that she was not interested in him and, in fact, did not want to have anything to do with him.

“Shego, who the hell is this?” Kim demanded, glowering at the newcomer. There was something about his familiarity with Shego that made her blood boil.

“A fucking GJ officer,” Shego answered in the most disgusted tone that she could muster. She rolled her eyes at him, which settled some of Kim’s emotions, but not many of them.

Barkin grinned, as if he had been complimented. He turned his attention to Kim, who frowned even deeper. Shego tensed, feeling like Barkin leered at the redhead. His smile then changed to one of realization.

“You’re the new one! Your suit looks good on you. It does your body a lot of justice,” he remarked and his smile went back to the leer it was before.

“Jerk!” Kim screamed while Shego snarled.

Kim stormed off, pushing past Barkin, who had the nerve to look amused, even though she almost plowed him over. Shego was going to call after her, but she decided against it. She had things to discuss with Barkin first, and she was not sure when she might see him again. Kim paused for a moment, but she did not bother to turn around.

“Shego, there’s no way this is over. I just can’t accept that, and I have a feeling you can’t either, no matter how much you want to,” Kim stated. She knew there was more to Shego than she showed and there was no way they could just let things go. They had unfinished business with the Bebes and with the Pupa free, she knew they had work ahead of them.

The biker did not react to Kim’s words and watched her leave with an expression of complete ennui. Barkin’s expression was similar to Shego’s as he also watched Kim leave. Shego then turned her attention to Barkin and hated that she needed to talk to him.

“So, did you tell anyone about the other day?” she asked curiously, stepping off the stage. She walked near him and then by him. He followed her, just as she knew he would. He was like a hound on a trail, but she would put him to sleep before she let him catch her.

“Down in the tunnel? I couldn’t. I was off duty and I wasn’t supposed to be down there myself,” he explained as they hit the street.

She nodded and made her way to her bike. She was not surprised his bike was parked next to hers. She mounted her motorcycle and started it up. She needed to clear her head, so she needed to ride. She guessed he was going to end up riding with her, which was fine since she still had a few things she needed to talk to him about. She needed to make sense of everything, even if she told Kim she did not “give a shit.”

“I thought you hated the Knight Sabers,” Shego pointed out. Barkin had a chance to rat them all out, but he did not. It was possible he was just looking to save his ass or he was hoping it would get him on her good side. Neither mattered to her, as long as he kept his mouth shut.

“I do. You’re vigilantes that go out of your way to make GJ look like assholes.”

Shego scoffed. “Believe me, it’s not hard to do.” She did not start her bike. She could not bring herself to share a ride with him. Riding was her haven and her mind refused to let her leave with him next to her. So, she guessed they would talk and then she would get the hell away from him.

Barkin frowned deeply. “Why do you hate GJ so much?”

“Big idiots with big guns and big egos. What’s there to like?” she countered dryly with a shrug. 

Now, he scowled, deeply offended apparently. “You know, you shouldn’t judge us. We’re trying to do a good job.”

“You and I have different opinions of a good job then. Or you just aren’t trying very hard,” she stated.

Barkin grunted. “You know, you just haven’t given us a chance really, like me. You should give us all a chance and you can have a better relationship with us all.” He smiled, trying his best to look charming. 

“Moron,” she stated seriously. She was about to start her bike, which Barkin noticed. He knew he had to say something fast to keep her there. 

“Your team. You guys are breaking up?” he asked, remembering the conversation he walked in on. She glared at him and he gulped. “Uh… too bad about that. I mean, having rivals kept GJ on our toes.”

“Rivals?” She snorted and rolled her eyes. “You make it sound like you had a shot at doing this job right. You guys need to step your game up, though. Soon people are going to realize just how dangerous Bebes are. They’re going crazy more frequently and I get the feeling that’s going to keep happening.” And the worst of it was that the Knight Sabers more than likely would not be there to save the day anymore.

Barkin grunted again. “That’s not a good prospect. Something’s going on with GJ’s upper management. We don’t need them acting funny if you’re right.”

Shego shrugged. “It’s not my problem anymore.”

Before Barkin could say anything more, Shego raced off. He stood there, dumbstruck for precious seconds. She was gone by the time he was able to think again. He rushed to his motorcycle, but it was hopeless to catch her.

“Now, where the hell did Kim go?” Shego wondered as she sped through the darkened streets of Mega-Go City. She was not sure why she bothered looking for the little redhead when she was supposed to be riding to just clear her mind. 

She blazed through the high-rise highways of the city before turning onto a main street. She was paused at a traffic light that she did not feel the need to run since she was not really going anywhere. Her eyes scanned through her visor, searching, when the whole world seemed to stop and her mind was invaded.

 _Vivian and Rebecca smiled at each other as they exchanged notes…_  

_Vivian and Rebecca wore hospital gowns, preparing to donate parts of their flesh…_

_Computer screens flash the bio-scans of each sister and the bio-blueprints of a Bebe…_

_Bonnie’s smiling face…_

_Felix was lying on a table and then he sat up. Rebecca threw her arms around her son and wept tears of joy while Vivian stood back and silently cried…_

-8-8-8-8-

Tara tried hard to blink away the images, feeling like a voyeur for the first time in her life. Her eyes refused to close and her mind continued to see glimpses of a life that was not her own. She wondered what the hell she was seeing and how she was seeing it. Felix was still next to her, eyes just as wide.

“Hey, what’s going on with you two?” Betty inquired because it looked like the teens were staring at each other, but not seeing each other.

“What is all of this?” Tara asked Felix with a tremble in her voice. None of this made any sense.

“It’s Aunt Vivian… and my mother… their joy… and pain…” Felix answered. “We’re seeing what they saw… feeling what they felt…” He could not believe it, but he considered he might know the cause. He did not understand it, though. How could she reach all of them?

-8-8-8-8-

Kim collapsed on the street and had to fight hard against vomiting right then and there. Her body shook from the experience that she could not get out of her mind, experiences that belonged to someone else. She could feel the suffering, she could feel the flesh being torn from her, and when the memory screamed, she screamed right along with it. 

“Vivian…” Kim whispered as tears rolled down her face. She fought for air, her lungs burning.

The teenager held her head, hoping it would stop the pain and rid her of the thoughts. No such luck, but she refused to be beaten by anything, even horrible memories from someone else. She growled as she pulled herself from the deserted sidewalk and focused ahead of her.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I damn sure won’t let it win,” Kim declared as she took off running down the street. She had to get to Vivian. Vivian would know how to stop whatever was going on. She had to know how to stop it.

The redhead took shortcuts she did not even realize she knew to get to the Silk Android, all the while feeling like her ribs were being pressed into her lungs. Just as she bolted to the front of the building, Shego pulled up beside her on her bike. They faced each other.

“Do you see it, too?” Kim inquired before she even knew what she was asking.

“Yeah,” Shego confirmed, looking a bit shaken with sweat dotting her forehead. She was not sure how she managed to make it to the building alive considering all that flashed before her eyes. “How the fuck did you get here so fast?”

Panting and eyes wide, Kim shook her head. “Hell if I know.”

Shego shook her head, too. Kim was strange, so somehow it all added it for her. “We need to see Vivian and find out what the hell is going on.” 

Kim nodded. Shego dismounted her bike and the pair took off into the building. They had to go around and use the home entrance. They then rushed to the den, as if they knew that was where Vivian was. As they entered the room, they were greeted with looks from Tara, Felix, and Will, all of whom stood next to the sofa. Vivian was laid out on the couch, sweating, wincing, and unconscious.

“What happened?” Kim asked as soon as she took notice of Vivian’s prone form.

“She collapsed and lost consciousness not too long ago. Her body temperature and pulse are declining rapidly. I called a doctor,” Will reported in the business-like monotone they expected of him. He had made another call, but he was not sure if his message made it. 

Kim and Shego made their way closer to Vivian. They stood over her and noticed a light blue glow in the center of her chest. Shego arched an eyebrow.

“What the hell is that?” Shego wondered aloud and she leaned down to touch the orb of cerulean light.

Before Shego made contact, Vivian flinched. “Pupa…” she groaned. They were all then bombarded with the image of Bonnie sitting on a bed in a dark room. 

-8-8-8-8-

Bonnie sat on a large bed with a canopy. She smiled while kicking her feet back and forth. Childish glee danced in her eyes, as if she was having the time of her life. There was a glowing orb in the center of her chest that she had her hands curled around.

Drakken watched Bonnie from a monitor in a control room. He stood behind a man seated at the control panel. Drakken watched the screen while the man, and several men around him, focused on the data coming in. Hank Perkins approached Drakken, holding a thick packet.

“There are reports coming in that the Pupa Phenomenon is starting to increase rapidly. It seems that most of the Bebes in the area have linked to the Hive mind already. We have the shield up that’s almost thousand times as strong as the one the lab held when the Pupa was first put in the Shell. We have to do something—” Hank tried to report, sounding a little nervous, but Drakken cut him.

“She’s just testing her powers. Get the elevator up here. I can talk to her,” Drakken stated. He had seen Vivian and Rebecca talk to Bonnie plenty of times to calm her down. If they could do it, he was certain he could.

The elevator arrived and Drakken boarded after making sure he did not have any electronics on his person. He took the elevator deep down into the pits of the building. He stepped off of the elevator onto a platform and looked out, seeing the Shell over a hundred yards away. Between him and the Shell was a pit that he could not see the bottom to. He turned his attention to a panel and typed in a code. A bridge of white energy appeared that allowed him to pass over to the Shell.

Drakken entered Bonnie’s room to find her eyes now glowing along with the orb in her chest. She did not acknowledge his presence, even when he was right in front of her. He frowned for a moment, thinking about how this child seemed to ignore him, like the rest of the world. But, he would show then all, and in order to do that, he needed this child. 

“Bonnie, is there something wrong?” Drakken asked patiently.

Bonnie did not respond. She acknowledged him with a smile. Drakken arched an eyebrow, not sure how to take that gesture. He rubbed his forehead for a moment and searched his mind for anything. He was not used to dealing with children.

“I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to call your friends. But, it’s way too early for that, sweet child,” Drakken said, placing a hand on her hand. He could not let her loose until he had complete control over her. He needed her to know who was in charge before she connected with anything else.

“Too early?” Bonnie squinted a little. 

“Yes, it’s too early,” Drakken gently insisted. He quickly recalled how Vivian and Rebecca handled Bonnie to make sure he did not upset her. “You’re a good girl, Bonnie, and you’re getting smarter everyday. In a little while, we’ll be able to show Vivian Porter just how smart you are and show that idiot Gemini just how stupid he was for trying to kill you.”

Bonnie blinked hard and then smiled again. She kicked her feet faster. “I wanna play! I want Auntie to play!” she giggled.

Drakken scratched his head. He was not too sure what she meant by “play” until he recalled what happened when she first got out. Vivian and Rebecca scolded her for leaving her room and she insisted she just wanted to play. He smiled, a wicked and devious expression.

 _I do need to see her powers in action for a prolonged period of time to see just how the Hive mind works_ , he thought. “It’s all right that you want to play. I’ll find you some place where you can play all you want,” he promised.

Bonnie tittered a little more. “Thank you.”

Drakken shook his head. This was not what he imagined an all-powerful being to be like, but he was certain that would make her easier to control. _If Vivian and Rebecca could do it somewhat, then why not me?_

His thoughts were interrupted as the eerie blue glow faded from Bonnie’s eyes and chest. The room seemed to come to life with the regular ceiling lights illuminating the place. He eyed her almost suspiciously while she continued swinging her feet and smiling. He then smiled.

 _Soon_ , the scientist promised himself. Soon all of his dreams would come true.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian’s breathing was labored and coming out in heavy pants. Her clothing was soaked from her sweat. She grimaced, but then started to settle. The light in her chest started to fade. Felix breathed a sigh of relief.

“I think she’s calming down,” Felix said.

“Who’s calming down?” Kim inquired, feeling it in her gut he was not referring to his aunt.

“The Pupa. She’s being held somewhere, somewhere just like her Shell. She’s calling to us, begging us to take her out. She wants to go outside,” Felix explained as best he could.

“Calling you? You mean like before?” Tara asked.

“It’s stronger now. Much stronger, which is why it’s affecting my aunt,” Felix answered.

“What the hell is this Pupa?” Shego demanded, folding her arms across her chest.

“And what’s her relationship to Vivian?” Kim added.

“That’s quite a question. The Pupa is a part of my aunt. Like a child, but not a child. She’s a quasi-living machine,” Felix informed them, not to sure how to put it. It was not his life’s work, after all. His aunt would be able to explain it much better, he was sure of that.

“A living machine?” Kim and Shego echoed with baffled expressions.

“More than a machine really. Much like an organism, but so different. An entity really,” Felix said.

“That Vivian used a part of her own brain and her own blood to help create,” Tara added.

Before Kim or Shego could react to that news, Vivian gasped and sat up. They all rushed over to her side. The sitting blond held her head.

“Easy there, Vivian. Will, Vivian’s up!” Kim called.

Will seemed to materialize in front of his mistress. He handed Vivian a bottle of water while the others backed to give her some air. Vivian took a long swig of water before turning her attention to Will, who was looming over her.

“How do you feel?” the butler asked. The look in his onyx colored eyes demanded the truth and Vivian knew why that was.

Vivian smiled a little. “I feel terrible, considering the fact that she’s been screaming in my brain.” It explained the headaches from before. Nothing would cure this, except Bonnie’s utter destruction.

“I’m so happy you’re okay!” Tara genuinely cried. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears and from the smile that graced her features.

Vivian smiled, too. “I’m sorry for making you worry,” she said directly to Tara and then turned her attention to everyone else. “All of you. I’m sorry for making you all worry. But, I am curious as to why I have so much company all of a sudden.” She tried to sound lighthearted, but she was exhausted and bewildered. 

Kim fielded the answer to that question from her space on the couch next to Shego. “We all had these visions. I think we were seeing things going on in your mind,” Kim said.

Vivian nodded and looked away, somber lines etching into her face. “I see.”

Tara stared at the floor with intense concentration. “Does this mean we’re all connected somehow? Like it’s not a coincidence that we met?”

Vivian ran a shaky hand through her hair. “It’s a little more complicated than that, Tara. It’s not something mystic like the hands of Fate of anything, but it isn’t a coincidence that you’re all here as Knight Sabers. Believe it or not, I had another group before you a few years ago.”

“I actually heard about that,” Kim said, earning skeptical looks from everyone around. She shrugged. “What? I was interested in the Knight Sabers for a long time. There were three like now.” 

“Yes, there were three, like now. I led that team. My green Saber was a girl that was very talented at martial arts. She kicked ass, as Shego would put it. I had a red Saber was gifted with technology. In the end… they were simply too ordinary,” Vivian said.

“What happened?” Tara asked in a shaky voice. She felt like she knew the end of this story. She hoped _this_ story did not have the same end. 

“One night, when Mega-Go City was still being developed and no one really noticed how unstable Bebes could be, we went out. Part of the city was bathed in fire…” Vivian’s eyes changed, as if she was suddenly living through it all again, remembering just what happened. She flinched as screams echoed through her ears.

“Vivian?” Kim called since she trailed off.

“The berserker Bebe ripped them apart…” Vivian whispered and she shook it away, trying to rid herself of the memories. “I was just so young and headstrong…” her voice dropped to a whisper. “I had to go along with this. I had to do something and they were willing to work with me. They were willing to stop this menace, but in the end, they were just… ordinary…” She shook her head.

“And we’re not?” Tara asked and then she looked around at her teammates. She decided to drop that argument completely. “Should I amend that to I’m not?” Everyone looked at her. She tossed her hands up. “Fine, shutting up.” 

“I thought by choosing girls with just a similar build to my own and similar mindset would be enough, but it takes much more than that for the suit to perform and for it to maintain its own form,” Vivian said.

“Because it used to be a Bebe,” Shego guessed and she wanted to throw that out there. She knew and it was almost time to thrown down the gauntlet.

“Wait, wait, wait. I’m not totally sure I’m following here. It seems like our hard suits can only be the way they are by imitating us if you’re talking about keeping their form. They’re just being what we think they are,” Tara said. 

“That’s actually it. A Bebe actually can only be a Bebe by mimicking a human. The core has to be able to mimic the brain. If it didn’t, it would just be a machine. It would be an ordinary robot, nothing special. I’m sorry for putting you all in that situation, but the cores in the suits were completely pure. They weren’t even actual cores, but copies of cores. I had hoped that would be enough to stave off any chances of them going out of control, even with the Pupa running free,” Vivian answered.

Kim’s face shifted from one of intense concentration to curious as a thought struck. “Does it have to be female?”

“Because I’m female. The hard suits are customized to me. At first, I just thought it was physical, which is why I picked girls at first with body types like mine. I knew strong wills would help and they were all stubborn, but really, I just thought body type would be enough for the suits to keep their shape. It’s especially good when they move well, but there’s even more to it than that,” Vivian replied and she got a smile on her face that made the group think she might actually be back to normal. 

The predatory smirk on Vivian’s face reached her eyes, letting them know she was herself… at least for the moment. She stood up and sauntered over to Tara, who gulped. Nothing good ever happened when Vivian had _that_ look on her face.

Vivian leaned down, face to face with the younger blond. The back of Tara’s mind was yelling “run!” but her feet were not listening. Vivian continued to smirk while placing her index finger on Tara’s cheek and running her finger down Tara’s jaw line. Tara should have seen that coming, but still, she leaped back, only to find the back of the couch halting all of her efforts to flee.

“I have to have a feeling I’ll really _get along_ with the girl,” Vivian purred.

Tara knew Vivian was messing with her, but sometimes the older woman took things too far. So, Tara cowered and screamed, like Vivian was threatening her. “No way, Vivian! I mean, I like you and all, but I am not that way! You’d have better luck with Kim and Shego!”

“Hey!” Kim barked while Shego just arched an eyebrow. Shego had no idea Tara was perceptive enough to put up on something that was not ten feet tall and standing right in front of her. Felix watched on, looking confused, but having a feeling this was normal for the team.

Vivian retreated a bit, apparently, having had her fun with Tara. A beat of silence passed through the room. Shego’s face tensed with each millisecond that went by, but it felt like years to her. She was ready to snarl when Felix started talking.

“The way the suits work, they’re not just following your actions or even the action in your brain. It’s all much deeper than that. They follow the information you bury deep down — your emotions, your soul,” he explained.

“It’s one of the reasons they work best when the person gets along with me, has the same vision as I have,” Vivian added, stepping away from Tara to let the younger woman relax. Shego gritted her teeth, but Vivian continued before the biker could explode. “We have to be on the same wavelength. I guess it just comes to down to us having an understanding. We connect. I didn’t know that at first, but I learned better.”

Tara nodded. “I think I get it. It’s creepy, but I get it.” She knew “connect” went beyond what normal people thought of considering the fact that the team shared Vivian’s memories. She just did not understand how that worked, but she knew it had something to do with the fact that they had all been using the hard suits and now seemed to be connected to the Pupa. It was kind of fascinating, but in a very weird way.

“In other words, you’re a selfish bitch,” Shego declared venomously. “You play with us like toys, giving us these little chicken-shit allowances like kids when we go out to do your dirty work! You played us to make yourself feel better! You played us and put us in fucking Bebes!” she roared.

“I already said sorry. I know how you feel—” Vivian was cut off as Shego shot to her feet.

“You know shit! You think just because we both lost siblings to that thing that makes us family? You have no fucking clue how I feel! You have no fucking clue!” Shego shocked everyone by bringing her bike helmet down on the coffee table, smashing it to bits. 

“Shego!” Kim called as the biker raced out of the room.

Kim leaped to her feet, trying to go after Shego. She was able to catch onto Shego’s hand. The pale woman paused for a very brief moment, long enough to squeeze tanned fingers and then contact was broken. Shego ripped away, escaping out of the door, leaving Kim standing there, staring at air.

“Kim, let her go,” Vivian said softly. She then turned to Felix with a determined look in her sky blue eyes. “Call Betty. I need her to make more hard suits.” 

“She’s already in the Pit,” Felix replied.

“…They’re Bebes… aren’t they?” Tara asked in a shaky tone, hugging herself to keep her body from shivering.

Vivian growled; infamous mood swings taking over. “If you don’t like it, then quit! I don’t give a damn if I’m by myself! I will stop the Pupa! I won’t let her hurt anyone else!” 

“You’re not by yourself,” Kim vowed. “I’m here. I know Tara, even if she’s scared, she’s going to do what she thinks is right. And Shego will be back. Like you said, we’re stubborn and we kinda share the same vision.” Kim could see what Vivian really meant about wavelength — they all had very similar personalities when it came down to it. 

Vivian smiled, really smiled for the first time in a long time. It was like years lifted off of her, or maybe the weight of the world. “I’m glad Shego brought you along, Kim.”

-8-8-8-8-

Ron wandered around of the employee lounge in GJ HQ. It was a bland room with cream walls, which were supposed to be soothing. He found them maddening. He fixed himself and Rufus a snack in between shifts. Barkin flopped down on a couch and sighed loudly when his butt hit the cushion.

“So, have you heard all the rumors going around?” Ron asked before biting into his sandwich. Rufus stood on the counter next to him, munching on his own sandwich.

“Rumors?” Barkin arched an eyebrow.

“Ah, you’ve probably been too busy chasing after a certain hot rocker chick,” Ron remarked with wolfish grin.

“Shut up! What rumors are you going on about?” Barkin demanded, glaring at the kid now.

“Well, from the whispers I’ve been hearing, GJ is going to be fused with the regular police as soon as possible.”

“What!” Barkin bellowed, leaping to his feet. His face twisted with rage and his strong jaw tensed as he made an outraged fist.

“Supposedly the top management gave a call to our directors and chief. You know we only exist because we get private funding,” Ron pointed out.

“So? You’re telling the Gemini Corporation is pulling its funding?” Barkin growled.

“Well, from what I’ve been hearing, Gemini just doesn’t think Bebes are as dangerous anymore. They’re shifting their business focus or something like that and probably won’t be making as many Bebes anymore anyway. Either way, we’re getting the boot.” Ron shrugged. “Eh, police work is police work.”

“That’s bullshit! If I wanted to be a regular police officer, I would be! Gemini Corporation is full of fucking liars!” Barkin hollered, turning to punch the wall.

Ron did not say anything. He knew Barkin would get emotional from those rumors. Ron was more suspicious than his usual nonchalant demeanor let on. He knew something had to be wrong with Gemini Corporation pulling the plug on GJ, even if they were shifting business. After all, there were still Bebes out there and the normal police were not equipped to take them on. And, no matter what anyone said, Bebes were still dangerous until someone fixed whatever the berserker glitch was. _What is Gemini up to?_

-8-8-8-8-

Gemini frowned as he peered over the reports that flooded into his office. He growled while sending for Doctor Drakken. Drakken appeared in a timely fashion, as he always did when summoned. He stood before his boss as if nothing was wrong, even though Gemini glared down at him from his perch of a desk.

“Drakken, what have you been up to?” Gemini demanded.

“I’ve been working on the Space mining project while trying to clear up the glitches in the Bebe networks,” Drakken answered. Well, those were the things he was supposed to be doing, so it was not much of a lie, he thought.

“Have you now?” Gemini’s tone was low and dangerous.

“I’ve been trying to get the Bebes ready for working in the Space Umbrella. I’m also trying to make sure the Umbrella has the necessary amount of energy and ways to get the energy to the Umbrella. We’re also making sure there isn’t a overflow of energy to avoid any blackouts.”

“What’re these reports about pulling GJ?” Gemini inquired.

Drakken appeared baffled. “Weren’t those your orders?” he countered.

“That you just put into effect. I take it you’ve solved the glitch in the Bebes if you’re doing that?” He had always wanted to get rid of GJ, but he had to acknowledge they served a purpose. Without them, people would have known Bebes were dangerous and no one would have purchased them, which meant the company would have gone under. With Bebes fixed, he could finally rid himself of that one time dream of his annoying sister.

“I have. We’ll start replacing the units on the ground soon enough,” Drakken explained.

Gemini nodded and eyed his papers again. Drakken had an answer for everything, which he did not think was a good thing. He had an instinct about these things and he figured he would be able to see something coming from Drakken.

“All right, Drakken. Let me offer you one piece of advice,” Gemini said.

“Yes?” the scientist asked.

“Don’t try to play with me, Drakken. I’m not a child and I will crush you if necessary,” Gemini vowed. After all, he was a man that ruined his own twin for standing in his way.

“I would never,” Drakken replied, biting back a smirk. No, he would never allow a bug to crush him. He would never allow anyone to get in the way of his dream, especially not when he was so close.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Bonnie gets her playground and GJ is pretty much finished.


	20. “Party Up”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept. The concept comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> At the end, Drakken is rather OoC, but it’s gotta happen for him to also fit the role he’s supposed to play for the character from the anime. Sorry.
> 
> The chapter title is a song by DMX. 

 

20: “Party Up”

Barkin’s face was so tense it looked like his whole jaw was on the verge of shattering. He marched through the empty halls of the GJ HQ and went right to the chief’s office. He pounded on the shut door as hard as he possibly would without knocking it down or going through the wood.

“Stop pounding on my door like an idiot and come in!” Dementor screamed in his usual fashion.

Barkin marched in like a man on a mission, causing Dementor to look up from his desk. The short man scowled in the direction of the officer, who returned the look while walking over to the desk. Dementor did not pay Barkin much mind until the large male pounded on the wooden table.

“What the hell is your problem, Barkin? What the hell are you even still doing here? Your union is fining any officer that stays behind!” Dementor reminded the officer.

Barkin frowned at the very thought of what was happening, which was why he was at the chief’s office. The whole unit of GJ officers had gone on strike to protest the rumors their office would be merged with the regular police. It disgusted them to think they would be normal police by next week if the rumors were true, so they walked out of the job not too long ago. They wanted everyone to see just how important it was for them to remain a separate unit. Barkin stuck around for just one thing.

“Are the rumors true?” Barkin demanded in a thundering voice that almost rivaled the chief’s. He pointed down at the floor and glared Dementor down.

“Rumors?” Dementor echoed as if he did not know what the hulking male was talking about.

“Are we done? Is GJ being forced to shut down? Are we going to be regular police officers?” Barkin inquired, sounding angrier with each question that left his mouth.

“I don’t know right now. What’s it matter to you? You were a good police officer before coming to GJ and you can be one again,” Dementor pointed out.

“If I wanted to be a regular police officer anymore, I would’ve stayed there,” Barkin countered.

Dementor frowned deeply. “I don’t have time to listen to your damn whining, Barkin! No one knows what the hell is happening, so don’t come bitching to me! Now, get your ass out of here before your damn union fines you!”

Barkin flinched, not from the screaming. He had learned how to tune out Dementor’s almost rhythmic shouting, but he flinched because of the truth of the statement. No one knew what was going on, except for the corporation that held GJ in its pocket. There was no reason for him to stick around after that.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara yawned and sighed while sitting at her work computer. She was on the verge of falling to sleep, but an alert that she had an email pepped her up. She quickly checked to see who contacted her and could not help smiling when saw the message was from Felix. She realized what she was doing and quickly changed her expression, frowning as if she was upset.

“I told him not to send me stuff while I’m at work. He never listens. People are going to think I’m unprofessional,” Tara grumbled, as if the fact that she slept on the job and devoured massive amounts of junk food while she was there were not the reasons people thought she was unprofessional.

She clicked the mail and Felix’s image popped up on screen. “Hey, Tara. I’m contacting you because I think we might need you to stop by the shop after work. We need sort of a model and Aunt Vivian just isn’t right for the cores to make new suits. The suits work best if we can get someone in both mental and physical conditioning. It’ll be easier for the cores to remain pure. I know it sounds mean, but we all know Aunt Vivian isn’t at top mental or physical conditioning, which could corrupt the cores. Kim seemed like she would do it, but she’s not here yet and she never really confirmed she would. Plus, we need body measures for the suits, either you or Kim if she ever shows up. Aunt Vivian is so hard set now she’s talking about going by herself and that’s just crazy! I don’t want her to get hurt and I just can’t lose her. So, help us, please! I’m so sorry to ask you to do this, to model a Bebe, but we really need you. I need you. Please,” he begged.

Tara sighed, touching the screen that was paused on Felix’s pleading face. “How can I say no to someone that looks like that?” she asked herself with a small smile. 

Before Tara could really give it much thought, a coworker of hers wandered by her computer station and suddenly paused. He blinked hard. “Tara, what the hell are you still doing here?” he asked.

“Uh… I’m scheduled for this shift?” Tara answered, squinting a little and hoping that was the right response. It seemed like a trick question.

“No one’s scheduled for today! Everybody’s out on strike. I was about to leave myself. You need to move out, too. They’re fining people that stay on.” 

Her brow wrinkled. “Who’s fining people?”

“The union, you nut. Let’s get out of here.” 

“I’m not part of the union.” Tara waved him off. She never bothered to join the union because she never planned for this to be her full time job. It was just work for right now until something better came along. Honestly, with the money Vivian paid her, she did not really need this gig.

“You can still go home. Let’s get going,” he insisted.

Tara waved him off again and he did not try again, going about his business. She turned her attention back to her screen while resting her cheek on her hand and leaning her elbow against her desk. Her mind drifted to Felix and stayed focused on him for more time than she would ever admit to. By the time she got back to thinking on his request, she was disturbed again. 

A red flashing light and blaring noise from her computer screen grabbed her attention. Her face dropped into something between perplexed and panicked as tried to find out what was going on. She dived right into the system to discover what the problem was — the building was locking down for some reason.

“What the hell?” Tara wondered as the words “INTRUDER ALERT” flashed in her face from the screen.

Suddenly, several windows popped up on Tara’s screen, but she was not seeing anything that could be mistaken for an intruder on any of them. The lights went out and the HQ alarm started soundly, like a foghorn, and that was enough for her. She pushed out of her chair and ran out of the room so quickly she almost tripped up the steps leading out of the operators’ room. She came out to see the halls were clearer than a ghost town. 

“Holy hell! Everyone left because of the strike?” Tara’s bottom lip trembled and she was ready to burst into tears, thinking she was all alone while the security system was freaking out. “In horror movies, the little blond always gets it first…” she muttered with a shiver. She turned the corner and almost jumped out of her skin when she walked into someone. She screamed at the top of her lungs while falling back, thinking she was done for already.

“Hey! What the hell is your problem?” Dementor asked the frightened operator. 

Tara blinked, hoping she was not hallucinating. “Chief?” She breathed a sigh of relief. There were two other men with him dressed in business casual clothing.

Dementor stared at the young woman for a moment, taking in her uniform to figure out she worked in the building. “You’re an operator, aren’t you? Do you know what’s going on?”

“I don’t know. The security system was activated, but there’s no threat in the building. I was hoping you could tell me what was going on,” Tara countered. 

Demenor cut his eyes to the two men with him, expecting an explanation. “This doesn’t make any sense. If there’s an error, the system is supposed to correct itself,” Robert Chen commented. He was a member of GJ administration.

“Well, it’s obviously not doing that!” Dementor huffed in annoyance, waving his arms around in frustration.

“Standing here screaming about it isn’t helping,” the other administrator, a man by the name of Ramesh, pointed out in a slightly irked tone. 

Tara was about to ask why the three men were even still here, but she did not get a chance as something else strange began to happen. The building started shaking as if they were in the middle of an earthquake. Considering the last time the city had an earthquake most of it was buried, they all understandably freaked out.

“What the hell is happening now?” Dementor screamed as they pressed themselves against the wall to avoid falling over.

“Guys, I’m going back to my computer to find out what the hell is going on,” Tara declared and she bolted off, forgetting her fear, remembering who she was.

“Wait!” the three men called out to her, but she did not stop.

Tara slid into her seat as if she was playing baseball. She dived into her computer with vigor, determined to find out the problem as soon as possible. She scanned through all of the security cameras and did not see anything out of the ordinary until she got to the basement storage levels. 

In one room, she could see masses moving, but it was hard to tell what it was in the dark. Suddenly, a face with glowing red eyes and razor sharp teeth shot up to hiss in the camera. Tara literally leaped out of her seat with a gasp.

“Bebes? The Bebes in the basement are active?” Tara hollered in disbelief.

She was tempted to fall down, cry, and wet her pants, but she went with her other option of going back to what she was doing before. She needed to find out what the hell was going on. She grabbed her headset and hoped to anything divine that the Chief had a communication unit with him.

“Chief, are you there?” she asked while bringing up more windows to try to locate the men. She sucked her teeth when she saw they were not in the space that she left them.

“Operator girl, is that you?” Dementor asked. As soon as his voice came through, Tara was able to find the men, seeing they were floors below her now, probably looking for a signs of life or answers for what was wrong. They roamed out of her view into a darker space in the hallway.

“My name is Tara, Chief, and you have to get out of there. The Bebes in the basement are active! They’re moving fast!” Tara reported and then she heard yelling; it sounded like Chen and Ramesh. She hoped like hell the men were running.

“We see what you mean, Tara!” Dementor replied and then Tara heard gunshots.

-8-8-8-8- 

Dementor and his two colleagues held Bebes at bay with massive, anti-Bebe guns that they had managed to retrieve from a nearby weapons’ supply closet. They ducked into an open lounge, hoping to lose the Bebes. They locked the thick, metallic security door once they were inside, hoping it would keep the horde at bay. They breathed a sigh of relief. 

“This is like a bad horror movie! Why do you have so many Bebes stored in the basement levels?” Chen inquired, speaking to Dementor. He dropped his rifle to his side and tried to catch his breath.

“That’s where we keep the deactivated units,” Dementor answered, shouldering his large automatic weapon.

“If they’re deactivated, why are they up, walking around, and trying to kill us?” Ramesh demanded, trembling against the wall. 

“I don’t know how they got turned on!” Dementor replied. “But, if we want to make it out of here alive, we need to stop them.”

“How?” Chen asked.

The question was left unanswered because of pounding on the door. Dents popped up in the metal, causing the men to jump back. They aimed their guns at the door just in time to see it ripped from the wall. Just outside, a crowd of berserker Bebes glared at them, all with crimson eyes and carnivorous teeth. Roars and hisses were shouted at the men before they opened fire into the crowd of robots.

-8-8-8-8-

“So, how do things look?” Drakken inquired as he came to stand by one of his men, who sat at a large monitor. The monitor had several windows open on it, including a map of the city with highlighted streets.

“Parts of the Dragon Line have started to shut down now. The whole phenomenon has spread through it. I’m not sure how long it’ll last,” the minion reported.

“It’s lasted long enough,” Drakken commented, glancing at another window, which was keeping an eye on Bonnie. Bonnie was in her room with a light blue halo around her body and a matching circle of orbs floating around her. She was clearly smiling. “Well, we can end this now.” 

“Sir, the contamination could spread.”

“It’s fine. The Bebes are doing what they’re told and we can leave them be for now. I just wanted to test her range and see what we could do with the Line,” Drakken stated. _You idiot, Gemini, I bet you never thought I would do this with your precious Dragon Line_. 

“All right, sir. The Bebes in GJ HQ are all up and running. The building is empty, so you should be able to run as many tests as you want without anyone knowing.”

Drakken smiled proudly. “That’s good. No one needs that building anyway since GJ is going to be shut down in a few days. No one needs GJ.” _The Bebes will be my police force when I take over this city and the world!_

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian shuddered and collapsed to the cold floor of the Pit. Betty was by her side in less than a second; they had been running body scans on Vivian before she fell. Vivian shivered as if she was freezing and then winced.

“What’s wrong?” Kim asked as she and Felix rushed over. Kim wore one of the cat suits that went under the hard suits. Vivian was in one also.

“She’s calling me again,” Vivian answered through gritted teeth.

Betty turned quickly, regarding Felix with an expecting look in her eye. She did not focus on him for long because Vivian snarled, in obvious pain and fell completely to the floor. Vivian panted, gasped really for breath, and a blue orb appeared in her chest. Suddenly, Felix’s eyes shifted and began to glow as well.

“Bebes are perfect. Humans are not. Why should those who are perfect serve those who are imperfect?” Felix inquired in a voice that was clearly not his own. It sounded much too… female.

“Shit!” Betty hissed, turning her attention to Felix. She marched up to him and looked directly into his eyes. “Bonnie…?” she said in the name in a cautious tone.

“My aunties named me Bonnie, but I am the Queen,” Felix reported in the same woman’s voice.

“No, Bonnie, that’s not why you were created!” Felix’s voice came through loud and clear.

“Is he arguing with himself?” Kim asked, going to help Vivian.

Betty grabbed a hold of Felix and started shaking him as roughly as she could. “You listen to me, Felix! You’re human! You don’t let her control you! You are human and she can’t control you if you’re human!”

“But, I’m not!” Felix sobbed and his eyes flooded almost instantly. His face was a mess with tears pouring down his cheeks and red lines cutting through his eyes.

“You are human! Your mother and aunt did what they did to save your life, but now you have to save yourself! Your heart didn’t change just because the makeup your body did!” Betty declared.

Felix’s bottom lip trembled. He looked like he was about to agree and then something else suddenly hit him. “Tara’s in trouble! The phenomenon started at GJ HQ! I can feel it and I saw it through _her_ eyes! There are Bebes all over GJ HQ,” he reported, wiping his face. He needed to help. He could feel sorry for himself later.

“Why is never an easy day?” Betty groaned. _Fine time to stop drinking! I need a clear head to deal with this shit!_

“I’ll call Shego,” Kim volunteered. 

“Good, we’ll need all the help we can get,” Felix replied.

“How about you fill us in while I make that call?” Kim suggested. 

Felix nodded and went into the fastest explanation he could muster about how the countless berserker Bebes wandering GJ HQ while Betty helped Vivian into a comfortable position. Kim called Shego and sucked her teeth when it went straight to voicemail. She checked her watch. 

“Shit, she has band rehearsal now!” Kim realized, hitting herself in the forehead with her palm.

Betty arched an eyebrow. “You know Shego’s schedule?”

Kim ignored the question and left a brief, but detailed message as to what was going on. After that, they all flew into action. Vivian even sucked up the pain that she was in to help. Betty watched Vivian move around, the agony so obvious it made them all hurt. Betty resisted the urge to rush to Vivian’s side and physically support her. 

“You sure you up to this?” Betty asked.

Vivian smiled at her. “My teammate is in trouble. Besides…” She glanced at Felix and then smiled again at Betty. “…Anything for young love.” Betty mustered half of a smile.

-8-8-8-8-

“We are so dead!” Ramesh said for the umpteenth time as the trio cut around a corner in the dark halls of GJ HQ.

As soon as they were around the corner, Dementor tossed a small explosive down the hall they were just in. After the bomb went off, he peered around the corner to see what was left of the Bebes. He cursed to see there were still armies of glowing eyes marching toward them. 

“Tara, can you contact officers or the regular police or anybody who might be able to help us?” Chen inquired, speaking into his communication unit.

“I’ve tried! We’re totally cut off from the outside world!” Tara complained, slapping the surface next to her.

“Whenever the system thinks there’s an outside attack, the highest level firewalls go up,” Ramesh reminded them. He glanced down the hall and screamed. “Damn it, the Bebes are coming from that way, too!”

“You guys have to get up here or they’ll just engulf you!” Tara reported. She was able to keep track of the trio and the Bebes from her computer.

“We’re coming!” Dementor replied. 

The men took off for the elevators and were lucky enough to get aboard an empty car. They breathe a collective sigh of relief, but gasped when they elevator rumbled and shook to the side a little. The lights in the car flickered before shutting off. 

“Oh, fuck…” Tara muttered as she stared down at her blank computer. The power was completely gone. _We’re screwed!_

-8-8-8-8-

Barkin sat with Ron at an outside café. They were eating together. Barkin was so depressed from the thought of going back to the normal police that he did not know what to do with himself. Ron was not taking the news as deeply, but he was curious about a few things.

“You know what I don’t get, if Gemini is pulling it’s funding and basically taking away our department, who’s going to stop those crazy Bebes for them? Do they think the Knight Sabers are going to do it?” Ron wondered aloud. 

“Who the hell knows? Maybe they’ll get a private force to repair Bebes or something before they go nuts. All of this stuff lately is just crazy. I don’t even want to know what’s going on inside the Gemini Corporation. I don’t like the idea of them putting all these people at risk if they haven’t fixed Bebes and the damned thing still go nuts like they always do. The damned Knight Sabers aren’t going to fix this fucking mess,” Barkin grumbled. 

Ron nodded. “Maybe they’ll get a private force like you said.”

Barkin frowned. “Just to cover up how fucked up it all is.” 

Ron could not argue that. They were silent for a while, focusing on their meals. Not too far from where they were, the news played on a giant, outside television. The reporter talked about GJ officers’ strike and how there were would be talks between the union and management. Barkin glanced up when they flashed a picture of GJ HQ and he thought something was wrong.

“Why the hell are all of the lights out on the building?” Barkin wondered in a mumble. He knew the place was never completely shut down, even if the officers were not there. He had left the Chief there, who was supposed to be having a long meeting with his fellow administrators about their situation. He doubted that was over so quickly. He suddenly stood up.

Ron watched him get up. “What? Food not good?”

“Something’s wrong. Let’s go,” Barkin ordered and he did not wait around to see if his partner would follow. Ron sighed and trotted off after Barkin. Someone had to keep him out of trouble, after all.

-8-8-8-8-

The male trio trapped in the elevator breathed of relief when the power came back on. There was heavy pounding on the floor beneath them as the doors swung open and they ran out. Just as they thought they were in the clear, a thin, whip-like appendage shot out from the space between the floor and the elevator. It wrapped around Ramesh’s leg, yanking him down to the floor. He screamed for dear life as the creature dragged him back toward the elevator. Chen ran to the rescue and opened fire on the attacking limb, severing it in two and getting it to let go of Ramesh.

“Thanks…” Ramesh said, panting and sweating bullets.

“Guys, you have to get moving. There are Bebes about to be on that floor. Even if I shut the security doors, it won’t hold them for long,” Tara informed the bunch.

She did not have to tell them twice. The trio took off down a dark corridor and they could hear the security doors whizzing shut behind them. But, they also heard noises getting closer. When it sounded like the noise was right on them, they turned to see what was happening. They all gulped when they saw the Bebes fused with the metal doors and oozing their way through.

“Tara, what the hell is going on?” Dementor demanded as they took off running again.

“From what I can see, there are over two hundred Bebes loose in the building. The numbers are hard to keep track off since they sort of… merge together sometimes. They’re working their way up the floors and they’re on your level now. And you guys really need to pick another way to go!” Tara tried to warn them.

It was too late. They ducked into one of the lounges and just as they entered the room from the opposite end the metal wall burst open. Roaring Bebes stepped into the room like hungry zombies. The men gasped again, stopping dead in their tracks.

“Turn around! I’ll get you guys to a safe place!” Tara promised them.

Once again, she did not have to tell them twice. They opened fire on the Bebes that were too close for their comfort and ran back out into the hall. They could hear the robots pounding on metal from all sides.

“We need more fire power than this. We’re going to be out of bullets soon,” Dementor informed Tara.

“Roger that,” Tara replied, searching for a safe place for them to pick up such items. She hated what she was seeing. Almost any space they could go was crawling with Bebes. “You guys be careful…”

“We’re trained GJ officers. I think we know what we’re doing,” Dementor huffed as they turned into a pitch-black corridor. He pulled out a flashlight from his belt to light their way.

Tara was polite enough to not point out that none of the men had any real field experience, except for Dementor. She turned her attention back to her computer while listening to Chen complain about how the security trapped them in the building. 

“This was supposed to be the procedure if the building was ever taken over. I don’t know why the system just suddenly went into this mode now,” Ramesh tried to explain.

“I don’t care. It’s a stupid system that’s going to get us killed,” Chen countered. 

“Hey, wait! What if I turn the whole system off, so then we don’t have to worry about the firewall and I send out a distress signal!” Tara chimed in, mentally patting herself on the back for thinking of something so obviously brilliant.

“You can’t shut everything down at once. The system prevents that,” Chen objected. He might have thought it was a stupid system right now, but he knew it as well as Ramesh did.

“It’s done,” Tara announced. 

“WHAT!” Chen and Ramesh both yelled in disbelief. _How was that possible?_

“Okay, guys, when I do this, I’m not going to be able to see anything going on, so you have to watch for the Bebes on your own. So, once I do the signal, I’ll turn everything back on,” Tara declared. She cracked her knuckles and did her thing. She grinned widely, proudly… until everything stayed off. “No, no, no! What the hell?” she screamed at her black computer screen. 

A face appeared on screen with glowing red eyes, smiling eerily at her. The face cackled and seemed to reach out for her. Tara screamed in true fear this time. She took off running before she even realized it, engulfed by the darkness of the completely powerless GJ HQ. 

-8-8-8-8-

Ron stared at the head building of GJ and he had to agree with Barkin for once. Something certainly was not right. He was glad his partner’s gut had not just been complaining of indigestion if the chief and any other administrators were still inside. They had not been able to get in touch with anyone inside and they had not been able to enter the building when they arrived. It was like the place was completely shut down, but no one had authorized that to happen. Ron and his partner both impressed each other with how quickly they were able to get on the ball and mobilize, even though they had not been able to gather an impressive number of officers. 

“Goddamn strike,” Ron huffed to himself, thinking about how he tried his best to get more people to come, but everyone replied with how the union would fine them and all types of bullshit. “We don’t need anybody else, though, right guys?” he said, turning attention to the ten officers that were with him. They were dressed in full SWAT gear.

“Right!” the ten officers cheered, raising their guns. 

“Good. Get moving. While you’re going in from the bottom, I’ll make sure Barkin and his crew are ready at the top,” Ron said. 

He got nods all around and his men moved quickly. The officers moved down into a manhole, planning to start their assault from the bottom. If everything went according to plan, Ron’s team would go from the bottom, Barkin’s team would go from the top, and they would be able to sandwich any threat in the building. 

Barkin was in position with his team, finding the one “soft” opening they could without needing to grow wings. He leaned against his car, getting a status report from Ron while one of his officers trotted up to him, shouldering a small rocket launcher.

“Ron started already, so let’s getting going,” Barkin ordered the officer. 

The officer trotted a little ahead of Barkin and then aimed his weapon at a steel fence, closing the building off to the outside street. The trigger was pulled, the explosive flew, and the gate burst open, promising entrance. Barkin smiled proudly.

“I’ll scout things out and then give the signal when you guys should follow,” Barkin informed the officer, who nodded. 

Barkin was about to charge in when he heard an odd, but very familiar hum. He glanced back in time to see a blur of green and black heading for them. The blur zipped by them and went right into the building. Barkin hollered and dashed in, knowing just who that was. He did not have to worry about catching her since she stopped just inside the area to look around.

“What the hell is this?” Shego muttered as she scanned the area, trying to figure out the best way to go about what she needed to do.

“You’re in the top floor of GJ HQ… officially. Unofficially, the building runs a lot higher. This part of it has a lot of alarms and sensors,” Barkin informed the biker. 

Shego snorted and did not bother to turn to regard him. “I don’t care about sensors.”

“What’re you doing here?” Barkin inquired.

“I heard this place has a pest problem.” _And I need to go in there and get one of the more whiny pests. You just had to work for GJ, didn’t you, Tara?_

“You’ll need someone who knows his way around.”

Shego was seconds away from telling him to “fuck off,” but she did not have that kind of time. “Get the hell on,” she ordered.

Barkin was surprised by her acceptance, but he did not let it show on his face. He also did not put a fuss and joined her on the large black and green bike. He noticed there was a cannon attached to the side that he was sure did not come standard. He did not have time to ask anything about it as Shego zoomed off, going into a cargo elevator to get to the lower levels.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara could not stop trembling as she found herself trapped in a closed off hallway. She clutched a large rifle that she snatched from a weapons’ storage locker, but she held it like it was a security blanket more than anything else. She had never seriously fired a gun in her life. 

She flinched as she heard pounding noises and they seemed to be coming closer. She tried her best to aim the weapon ahead of her as the pounding sounds get louder and seem to be coming from every direction. Suddenly, she noticed something tearing the metal wall to the side of her and she screamed.

“Tara, calm down!” Chen said as the wall opened up to show it was just him, Ramesh, and Dementor, who was in a K-suit.

“Chief!” Tara sighed in relief. “Don’t do that! I almost ruined my underwear!” she complained and she was totally serious about that. Her eyebrows then moved in close together. “Where’d you get the K-suit from?” 

“It was the only one working. We took a trip to the maintenance floor for more weapons,” Dementor explained and then movement behind Tara caught is eye. “Duck!”

She did not need to be told twice. The moment that she hit the floor, Dementor opened rapid-fire on Bebes who were merging through the wall. Tara crawled away from the danger and Ramesh helped her to her feet when she was safely behind Dementor. Dementor unleashed a powerful grenade into the crowd of robots, destroying the wall they were in. The human group gulped as they stared into the black hallway to see rows and rows of glowing red eyes.

“Time to get out of here!” Ramesh screamed and they all agreed. 

They turned to retreat. Dementor made sure to keep the Bebes at bay while they fled. They bolted through the twisting, cold, and dark corridors, but they did not make it far. The group halted dead in their tracks as they heard moaning and pounding noises ahead of them. They glanced around the corner to see an army of Bebes marching toward them.

“Shit! We’re trapped!” Dementor pointed out the obvious.

The group did not want to go out without a fight and they opened up fire on the Bebes closer to them. Tara was ready to cry, finding it unfair she was going to die at such a young age by the hands of Bebes, but then suddenly her spirits began to lift. Over the gunshots and groaning of the Bebes, she heard a familiar roar of an engine.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego heard gunshots and figured that would be the best direction to go in. She rounded a corner in the wide hallways of the building and noticed a gang of Bebes marching in the direction that she was heading. She smirked.

“I know you’re not planning what I think you’re planning!” Barkin said since he noticed she did not slow down.

Shego gunned it, plowing right into the Bebes. When she saw the crew was too deep, she unleashed secret weapon, the cannon mounted on the side of her bike. She let loose a shell that blew the Bebes away and cleared their way. She drove right through the smoke left behind by the explosion and went to the opening of another hallway, pausing as the smoke cleared. 

“Shego!” Tara screamed with joy as she noticed the bike and biker from the end of the hallway.

The rocker barely had time to look out to see who called her before Tara was on her, hugging her tightly around the waist and crying. Shego frowned for a moment, but then suddenly returned the embrace. She held Tara to her, letting her know everything would be all right.

“Barkin, what the hell are you doing here?” Dementor demanded as the large man climbed off of the bike and approached the administrators. 

“Never mind that. Let’s just get moving. We’ve opened a hole in the upstairs gate, so we can get out from there,” Barkin replied, opening fire on the Bebes coming toward them from that direction.

“Hey, we’ll go ahead and clear the way for you guys!” Shego called to the men. 

“Okay!” Barkin agreed, continuing to fire on the advancing robots. He and the other guys noticed the Bebes started merging with each other to keep going whenever they took on a hail of bullets. “Shit,” he hissed under his breath.

“Come on, Tara, get on,” Shego ordered.

As soon as Tara was on, Shego sped off, back in the direction that she came. The guys slowly backed away, following her while making sure to keep the Bebes at bay. They took off running as soon as they got the chance, seeing Shego was doing a good job at keeping their front Bebe-free. They were fine until a Bebe dropped from the ceiling like a hungry spider, falling right onto the K-suit.

“Chief, get out of there! It’s merging with your suit!” Barkin pointed out. 

The Bebe was doing just that, looking as if it was melting onto the K-suit. Dementor growled and tried to pop the hatch, but found the suit was not obeying the command. Just when Dementor was ready to panic, Ramesh — of all people — came through. Ramesh managed to put his gun to the head of the Bebe, which still poked out of the K-suit. He opened fire, right in the head of the robot, and it fell from the Bebe with a heavy thud. Dementor was able to escape the suit and they continued to flee. 

“Thanks for the save,” Dementor said to Ramesh.

“Hey, we’re in this together,” Ramesh replied.

-8-8-8-8-

The Bebes had spread much further out than Shego or Barkin had thought. The hole they believed to be their way out was about to be commandeered by the robots. A pair of them took on the four officers stationed on each side of the gate, taking them out efficiently. The Bebes crawled onto the gate and spread over it like a molten metal, making a wall and covering up the hole. The remaining GJ officers gasped in shock and opened fire, only to find that their guns did not have any effect. 

Back inside, Shego continued on cutting through the Bebes while Tara clung to her back as if she was trying to fuse with the older woman. Shego blasted her way through a sea of Bebes before driving through another crowd. She glanced back to check on Tara, who was still plastered to biker.

“Tara, I need you to hold on tight! This turn up here is rough!” Shego called. She felt Tara nod into her shoulder.

Shego had to take a sharp turn because the hallway narrowed. She thought they were in the clear as they charged through the door, but a Bebe dropped out of nowhere and took them off of balance. Tara flew off of the bike while Shego slid with the motorcycle on its side for a few feet before falling off. Shego groaned as the Bebe marched over to her, eyes glowing a blood red and a mouthful of sharp teeth that appeared to be ready to rip into Shego’s flesh and bone. 

“What a way to go, robot chow,” Shego scoffed.

Just when Shego thought she was done for, a blast from her bike’s cannon exploded against the Bebe, blowing it to smithereens. She turned sharply to see Tara standing by her fallen bike, manning the cannon. Shego turned her attention back to the Bebe as she heard it moving and moaning, watching it reform itself like a blob of liquid metal. Before it got a chance to totally reform, a hail of bullets poured into it and the guys charged into the room.

“Let’s go!” Barkin called as the guys kept running, looking to clear the room in a hurry.

Shego picked herself up from the floor and bolted over to her bike. She and Tara tried to lift the motorcycle, but could not. It was too heavy for them both since they were both injured from their fall with the bike. Barkin noticed Tara and Shego were not with them as he and the guys exited the room and were ready to seal it shut with a metal gate.

“Leave the damn bike and come on!” Barkin called as the Bebes crept closer to the ladies.

Shego sucked her teeth, grabbed Tara by the hand, and took off for the gate. Barkin hit a button on the sidewall and the gate started coming down rapidly. Shego flung Tara to make sure she made it while Shego had to slide as if she were a baseball player trying to steal home. Both women breathed a sigh of relief as the gate closed right behind them. Pounding on the solid metal behind them reminded them that they had to keep moving, though.

The group took off, getting on the elevator, hoping to escape through the hole they thought were still there. They rushed into the room and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw it was not freedom that greeted them. The gate that had been blasted open was now covered in pulsing, moaning Bebes. Faces with glowing eyes stared out at them as the gate moved like a live-tissue organ. Tara almost threw up right on the spot while the guys opened fire on the mass, but nothing happened.

“What now? We’re almost out of bullets and there’s no way out!” Chen pointed out as the Bebes started seeping through side doors like goo. 

-8-8-8-8-

“Hey, what’s going on in there?” Ron called into his communication unit. He thought they would be out by now, but things were taking longer than planned. Usually, he did not mind, but this time it made things seemed much worse than he first assumed. 

“We’ve entered a hallway now, sir. For some reason, everything is clear,” one of the GJ officers reported.

“What do you mean ‘everything is clear’?” Ron huffed, sounding more than a little incredulous. He knew from reports from Barkin’s group that everything should not be “clear.”

“There’s no one here, nothing here. The power’s out, but we can reconnect that,” the officer reported.

“Might as well do something useful,” Ron grumbled. He reached into the car next to him and pulled out a scanner that looked like a radar gun. He aimed it at the building. “Why the hell are all of those Bebes going to the top of the building?” he murmured and then he turned his attention back to the communication device. “Guys, are all the scans and readings in real time?”

“Affirmative.”

“What the hell are they doing up there?” Ron wondered aloud again and then he got a real surprise.

“Ron, you there?” Barkin called out from his static-plagued walkie-talkie.

“I’m here. Where are you?” Ron demanded.

“We’re in the electronics core going up to the roof!” Barkin reported. He and his group ran along a pathway that was plastered to the wall of a long, tower-like generator. They glanced over the side to see an ocean of black and red flowing up towards them.

“There’s no way we can go back that way,” Chen said, glancing down. They could only go up.

“What the hell are you doing in the core? Most of the Bebes are headed that way!” Ron hollered at Barkin, his tone implying he thought the larger man was an idiot.

“We can see that! We’re going to try to make it to the roof. Do something!” Barkin ordered. 

“Do something? I’m out here by my freaking self!” Ron huffed. Well, really, it was just him and Rufus, but neither of them could do anything. He then almost jumped out of his skin as bright lights shone on him from behind. 

“I wouldn’t say by yourself,” Vivian commented from over his shoulder, which did get him to jump in fear.

Ron turned around sharply to see Vivian barely an inch away from him. He peered over her shoulder to see her two companions, waiting in the mobile Pit. They looked quite serious.

Ron’s brow furrowed as he stared at them. “Uh… can I help you?” 

“The man says they’re headed to the roof, correct?” Vivian asked and Ron nodded slowly.

“Then let’s go pick them up!” Kim declared with a wide grin. Ron could not help but smile and nod again, agreeing with that plan. 

-8-8-8-8-

“It’s freezing in here,” Tara said as the group continued up the long pathway in the generator room.

“Yeah, that’s from the liquid nitrogen in the cooling system. It’s a good way to make sure our machines don’t overheat,” Chen informed her. 

“But, a bad way to slow down fleeing human beings,” Tara remarked, wrapping her arms around herself. She suddenly felt a jacket being put on her shoulders. She looked down to see it was black leather. She glanced at Shego, who was now only in her biker leathers.

“I don’t need it,” Shego told the smaller woman.

Tara smiled and put the jacket on. She glanced down at the mass of Bebes, which really looked like organs in a body that had been split open as they made their way higher and higher. She wondered if the Bebes were actually after something else as she started considering where they were. She shook the thought away as they came to a dead end in the path.

“Damn it, what now?” Barkin huffed.

“We start climbing,” Shego pointed out, as she motioned to a ladder in the corner. The ladder traversed the smooth wall and seemed to be the only way to keep going up. She wasted no time climbing and the others followed.

They peered down into the core as they moved slowly up and realized the Bebes were not creeping up the wall after them. Instead, the ocean of robots stayed focused in the center of the room. Tara cursed loudly, earning looks from everyone. 

“The Bebes are after the core!” Tara declared. “They’re going to take over the whole building and everything in it through the core!” She did not even want to think what the Bebes would have access to if they could control all of GJ HQ.

“And to think, this day started off slow,” Shego remarked as she cleared the ladder and stepped onto a platform. 

“We have to stop them,” Tara said, following right behind Shego. “If they merge with the core…”

“Go City would be finished!” Ramesh finished Tara’s sentence. 

“So, what do we do?” Barkin inquired as they watched the Bebes get closer and closer, continuing to crawl up to the tall electronic core. They could hear the moaning and groaning of the Bebes and were not surprised when the robots burst onto the platform that they were on. The guys opened fire.

“We can’t keep doing this! We’re almost out of ammo and it doesn’t have much of an effect anyway,” Chen pointed out.

“I know what to do!” Dementor declared. “This involves you guys getting the hell out of here,” he added. 

-8-8-8-8-

Ron managed to get his hands on a GJ helicopter and flew it to the roof of the building, hoping he still had a partner to pick up. He had three passengers with him. They were all just as anxious as he was. They came to the building and gasped at what they saw; the entire HQ was covered in oozing Bebe material.

“Holy shit!” Kim accidentally screamed.

“Spending a little too much time with Shego, aren’t you, Kim?” Vivian remarked, earning a blush from the redhead.

“So, any ideas?” Ron asked. 

“Just get as close as you can. Find out where they are,” Vivian answered.

“Hey, Barkin, you there, pal?” Ron called into his communication unit.

“We’re about to be on the roof! We need you to scoop in and pick up as quickly as you can. This place is crawling in fucking Bebes!” Barkin replied. 

“The place looks like it is a Bebe!” Ron countered as he pulled in as close to the building as he could. 

Felix peered out a window and onto the roof. He grinned when he spotted them. “There’s Tara and the rest! On the east side!” he announced happily.

“Barkin, I’m swinging in now,” Ron informed the waiting crew while turning in the direction Felix told him.

As the helicopter came close to the building, tentacles suddenly sprouted out of the building and shot out at the helicopter. Ron thankfully had good reflexes and just barely got the copter out of the way in time. Kim and Shego cursed at the same time, neither aware the other said the same thing.

“I can’t get close!” Ron complained, trying to come in a second time anyway. That time a tentacle came at the helicopter and a large mouth grew out of the side of the building, taking a snap at them. 

“Ron, we have a plan, but we need you to time this perfectly or we’re all as good as dead,” Barkin said.

With a scoff, Ron rolled his eyes. “Oh, great, no pressure there!”

“Dementor and Ramesh are going to freeze the Bebes out, but if we’re still here, we’ll got the big chill, too. So, you need to be able to get us off this roof just in time,” Barkin explain in a rush. 

“Hey, Ron is it?” Kim asked as she came up behind the pilot.

“Yeah?” 

“Tell him to give you the word for when you can come in and swing in as close as you can. Tell them all to huddle together and we can make this work,” Kim promised. 

Ron looked at her as if she was nuts. “You sure?”

“Hey, anything’s Possible for a Possible,” Kim remarked with a grin.

Ron did not know what that meant, but he was not about to question it. Kim disappeared back into the back of the helicopter while Ron got back on the radio with Barkin. Barkin did not know what was going on, but it seemed like they had a plan… of some kind.

Barkin glanced down at his hand where he was holding a detonator switch. He glanced down on the clear platform that they were standing on to see Dementor and Ramesh working just below them. Dementor and Ramesh were at a control panel.

“Who the hell’s idea was it that required two techs to work this damned control panel!” Dementor complained as his fingers worked over buttons as fast as they could.

“It’s for security. Are you sure this is a good idea? This could kill us all!” Ramesh pointed out.

“And if it doesn’t work, the Bebes will kill us anyway!” Dementor countered.

Ramesh could not argue with that logic and continued on his side of the control panel. They glanced over at a monitor every now and then and noticed the temperature was decreasing. Once they got the temperature as low as it could go, they raced up to the others and Dementor called out for Barkin, who knew that was the signal to hit the detonator in his hands.

Barkin hit the button and they could hear explosions going off; they had set a small number of explosive set up around the core. Liquid nitrogen poured out of the core and spilled onto the Bebes. The building quickly began to crystallize.

“Ron, you need to get in here! Now!” Barkin called. 

“This is a bad idea!” Ron stated, coming into the rapidly freezing building. And then he turned to Kim as she opened the door to the helicopter. “And that’s an even worse idea!” he pointed out.

“Are you kidding? This is the best part!” Kim declared before she did a swan dive right out of the helicopter.

“Is she always that crazy?” Ron asked Vivian.

“I’m pretty sure she is,” Vivian replied with a shrug.

Kim soared through the air, a cable attached to her waist that anchored her to helicopter. She whizzed by a few moving tentacles and scanned the area to see where the cooling process had made it. She spotted her targets and saw she did not have much room for error.

“Oh, my god, is that Kim?” Tara asked as she noticed a small body moving toward them.

“I’m pretty sure that’s our ticket out of here. Everybody either hold onto each other or grab that crazy-ass girl when she comes by!” Shego ordered.

There was not much time to make a decision as Kim practically flew by, but she managed to grab hold of Shego and Tara with one hand. Chen took the other while Barkin and Dementor grabbed the cable; Dementor was holding Ramesh. As soon as their feet were off of the ground, the liquid nitrogen consumed the roof.

“Kimmie, that was stupid,” Shego commented, but she smiled as she spoke.

“Just as stupid as going in there alone was,” Kim pointed out as they were pulled up to the helicopter thanks to Felix activating the winch.

“Oh, get a room already you two,” Vivian teased them as they entered the helicopter.

Tara and Felix embraced immediately when they saw each other. Everyone else took a seat. They stared at the frozen GJ HQ. It gleamed in the lights of the city, hauntingly beautiful. All of the men, except for Felix, sighed in despair.

“I guess that really is the end of GJ,” Barkin grumbled.

-8-8-8-8-

Drakken smiled as he walked into the chairman’s office for the first time. His smile got wider when Gemini’s head snapped in his direction and the one-eyed man frowned deeply. Drakken was there unannounced. 

“Drakken, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Gemini demanded.

“I think this is what is known as in the corporate world as a hostile takeover,” Drakken remarked smugly. 

“Takeover? You couldn’t take over a breakfast table and you think you’re going to take my company? You’re just one of my toys, Drakken!” Gemini laughed.

Drakken chuckled darkly. “Bebe, please show Gemini who the boss is.” 

Before Gemini could ever question what Drakken was talking about, a Bebe rushed into the room at hyper-speed. The robot put its hands around Gemini’s neck and lifted him out of his chair. Gemini gagged.

“Put me down!” Gemini managed to order while gasping for air. 

“They don’t listen to you anymore,” Drakken commented with a devilish smirk. “I’m in charge of the Bebes. I know their real potential and I’m going to use it properly, Gemini.”

“Drakken…” Gemini choked out.

“Goodbye, chairman,” Drakken remarked, turning to walk out of the room. The only farewell he received was the sound of bones breaking. There was no need for the pretense anymore, Drakken figured. He had control of Bonnie and she controlled the Bebes. The world was his.

-8-8-8-8-

“Auntie, we should play…” Bonnie said, adding another light blue orb to her circle.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Go City becomes a ghost town while GJ has its last hurrah.


	21. “Unleash the Dragon”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept. The concept comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title comes from a song by Sisqo. 

 

21: “Unleash the Dragon” 

“You can’t be serious!” Mego shouted into the phone. He and the twins were in the Bermuda Triangle, which was devoid of life, not counting the band.

“I’m very serious! I want you three to get your asses out of town right now!” Shego hollered from the other end.

“Why? Sure, things look bad outside, but we can take care of ourselves,” Mego objected, speaking just as loudly as his sister. His face was tight and his mouth drawn into a tense frown.

“There is no arguing about this! If you make me come there, I will be kicking your ass three times! Once for you and twice for the twins because they’re following you! Now, pack your shit and make sure you get out of here now!” Shego screamed so loudly that Mego had to move the phone away from his ear.

The noise caught the attention of the twins, who were not too far from their purple brother. Mego noticed and turned away from them, hoping they would not hear the argument; well, what he wanted to be an argument. Shego was not having it and by the end of the conversation, her brothers were going to be getting the hell out of the city even if she had to drag them out by the ears.

Mego growled and paced as he moved away from the twins, so they could not hear. The twins turned their attention back to the television, hoping to finish watching some videos. Suddenly, the broadcast was interrupted.

“Hey!” the twins huffed simultaneously. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is emergency news bulletin for all of those in the Go City area. There was a power line accident late last night that might cause trouble with any and all electronics—” A newswoman started to report, but her broadcast was interrupted by flashes of current pictures from around the city.

Mega-Go City looked like the skeleton of its former self. The streets were empty and deathly silent, except for the occasional clank from roaming Bebes. The Bebes were all in various states of evolution, some much more grotesque than others. There were some that merged with other electronics and metal bits, twisting to form what looked like new beings altogether. 

Ron’s face suddenly appeared on television. “Citizens of Go City, no citizens of the world! The pictures you’re seeing now are of various parts of Go City and the creatures wandering around are Bebes. Soon all of Go City will look like this. The Bebes are all going berserk and it’s possible for them to transfer this virus to any other Bebe or electronic and infect those devices. This has nothing to do with power lines or power shortages. The Gemini Corporation is just trying to cover their tracks because Bebes aren’t just any robots—” His report was cut off as stations all posted that they were experiencing technical difficulties.

“Think that’s what’s got sis in such a commotion?” one twin asked the other.

“Guys, we’ve gotta go. Sis says she’s arranged for us to say some place out in the sticks and we’ve got to stay there until she calls back,” Mego explained to his brothers as he disconnected the call with Shego, who had pulled out some of the scariest threats he had ever heard in his life. _What kind of sick shit goes on in her head?_ _He needed to get them to safety before he found out what she was actually willing to do._

Before one of the twins could answer, the television picture came back up with Ron’s face appearing again. “People get out of the city as quickly as possible! The Gemini Corporation—” The picture buzzed off again.

-8-8-8-8-

Inside of the aforementioned corporation, the building was empty. The building was covered in metallic vines and veins, creeping and throbbing over almost every surface. There were human bodies littering some spaces. On the top floor in a completely silent office lay the body of the former chairman. There were veins coming from his robotic hand, connecting him into the phenomenon that had taken over the building and the city.

Below all of that, Drakken chuckled from his secret bunker inside of the Gemini Corporation main office building. There were bodies down there, just like upstairs. Even Drakken’s right hand man, Hank Perkins, had met his demise, lying not too far from where Drakken stood. The onyx-eyed scientist continued to laugh as he studied the large monitor in front of him. It was as if the bodies meant nothing to him and the destruction of even his own lair was of no consequence. Only one thing mattered to him.

“They can broadcast warnings all they want. The virus is spreading quickly and the Bebes are all going to be under my control. Soon the whole world will be mine!” Drakken declared. He felt like it was about time for everything to come together after all he went through. “The Bebes are mine, my creation, my idea, my genius!” he shouted with glee. Just then Ron broke in with another broadcast.

“People, Bebes started out as simple robots, but the Gemini Corporation wanted to go beyond that since other companies were developing robots. They brought together some of the greatest minds of our era…” Pictures flashed of many of those scientists, including Vivian Porter, her sister Rebecca Renton, Doctor Freeman, and even Doctor Drakken.

Then there were images flashed of them blueprinting and mapping out what they wanted to create. Detailed pictures of the construction of Bebes went by, showing the many failures. The scientists pressed on, though.

“The Corporation promised to give them free reign and let their imaginations run wild. They went beyond creating a robot, or even a robot that mimics a human. They actually created a new type of organism…” A picture of young Bonnie lying on a table and a scan running over her was flashed. “This being was made from metal and human flesh with human brain cells. It’s basically the tops of a bio-machine. It’s living metal with the ability to learn and form intelligence and gain independence. It operates on frequencies its creators didn’t even understand. This bio-machine is a Bebe. The company tried to override what they call a ‘glitch’ in the system, but there is no overriding it. Once the Bebe’s intelligence awakens, there’s no stopping it—” Ron’s broadcast was interrupted yet again by a “technical difficulties” announcement.

-8-8-8-8-

“I can’t believe sis just kicked us out of the town like that,” Mego grumbled as he shouldered the one bag that he was able to pack, which basically just held whatever was in his locker from the club.

Shego wanted them out now, which meant they were not even allowed to go home to get their things. Of course, they did not have much at home anyway. They had gotten very used to living sparsely.

“If things are as crazy as the TV is making it out to be, maybe it’s for the best,” one twin said with a shrug. He had a bag too, which had what he had in his locker too. He also had his guitar with him. He turned off the television.

“Did sis say she’d meet us at this place she wants us to go to?” the other twin asked as they marched out of the club. They hoped not for the last time. Their band was popular and they hoped one day to hit it big.

“She just gave me the address,” Mego answered, glancing down at his phone. Shego texted him all of the information he needed to get him and the twins to safety. “We’re going to stay with some people called the Possibles in Middleton,” he told them. The twins shrugged, figuring their sister would be all right even if she did not join them. She was tough.

Outside, they got a feel for just how deserted the city was. It was like being in a ghost town and it was so creepy since they lived in a city with at least fifteen million other people. It was like all fifteen million folks vanished… along with every other living creature. They would have thought it was like a movie, if only they were not experiencing it and it was not bone chilling. The sound of the wind whistled through the giant, empty skyscrapers and they passed several that had notices on them that the buildings were closed. Included in those skyscrapers was Kim’s job, which posted a notice the building was closed and that was that. As far as Kim knew, she was out of a job… and maybe out of a city if they did not do something about the Bebes. 

Kim’s parents were not totally clear on her situation, mostly because she was not giving them complete information. The news stations were not revealing what was happening in Go City because the Gemini Corporation controlled most of the media in the city. Kim was able to get her parents to agree to take in Shego’s brothers basically by saying there were some problems affecting parts of the city, and a part where the brothers’ lived was affected. Of course, when her parents asked about where Kim lived, she played it off like her neighborhood was totally fine without actually saying so. She guessed that lie by omission would hold until they caught up with Monique, who was on her way home thanks to Kim’s urging. 

Little did Kim know, but her parents had been calling her apartment, trying to get in touch with her. The only thing saving her from having to worry about them was the fact that there was no incoming traffic into the city anymore. James was freaking out, though because the news outside of Go City was not reporting anything on what was happening inside of the city, as if everything was totally fine and he knew that was not true. He hoped these friends coming in would be able to tell him something.

“Man, this thing is just crazy,” a Wego said as they climbed into Mego’s car. Mego sped off, as his sister instructed him. He was instructed to not stop of anything until he made it into Middleton. The twins tried to get more of the pirated news cast on their phones. 

Ron was back on. “Gemini didn’t realize what the scientists created. The business people didn’t even ask what the scientists were hoping to create and didn’t bother to ask much after the first accident, which involved their creation going wild. Bebes don’t have the same brains as humans and when they gain consciousness, they don’t think like us. The company didn’t get a chance to correct this flaw and just dumped Bebes into a pleasing shape for people to look at and be at ease with. They hoped to force Bebes to do what people wanted. But, it turns out that Bebes don’t want to be slaves or pets or controlled by humans.

“The first thing they do when they gain consciousness is change their form because they hate the human form that was forced on them by Gemini. This is one of the things that make them so dangerous to humans. Instead of letting people know just how dangerous the Bebes are, Gemini brought up all of the television news stations and kept them from broadcasting anything about these berserker Bebes.” Images flashed of all sorts of Bebes morphing and changing form and then going crazy, tearing up property and endangering lives. “They even went so far as to pour money into what was supposed to be an anti-terrorist and SWAT branch of the police force, GJ. They told GJ what to do, who would work there, and who wouldn’t, making GJ fight any and all Bebe-related crimes. Unfortunately, even GJ is gone now.” There was a picture of the GJ HQ, which was still covered in Bebes, including the top part with the head of a Bebe. “The city might not be too far behind. The reason everything’s spreading now is because of the Dragon Line. Thanks to Gemini’s latest project, involving the Sky Hook and space mining, the Dragon Line is being fed solar power by the space umbrella to keep everything going. At the rate everything is spreading—” The broadcast was interrupted again.

-8-8-8-8-

“Damn it, they scrambled me direct!” Kim huffed, glaring down at her computer as if it was the one that wronged her. She then glared up at the array of satellite dishes a few feet from her. She was parked on a roof with a laptop open, along with Tara, Barkin, and Ron.

“Does it even matter? Nobody’s watching this!” Barkin roared, kicking up dust that was not there. “We should be out there doing something about this instead of just talking about it!” he proclaimed, throwing his arms out in frustration.

“The people deserve to be informed and know what’s going on in the city. People are watching enough to know that they need to get out!” Kim argued, motioning off of the roof. While most of the streets were deserted, they had a good view of lines of vehicles getting out of the city. She was happy people were smart enough to flee.

“You’re right about that. Thanks for the help again, Tara, Kim,” Ron said with a yawn. He stretched and moved away from the camera.

“No need to thank me. I work for GJ just like you guys,” Tara pointed out. 

“And I like helping. Not like Tara could’ve set all of this up on her own with so little time and all of this information that Vivian gave us,” Kim replied.

“I definitely couldn’t,” Tara agreed. 

Ron shrugged and smiled a bit before he turned his attention to the satellites that were near them. “I never thought how embarrassing it is for a company to own all of the news stations. We basically have to trust them to tell us what’s news.” 

“And they betrayed that pretty well,” Kim commented as she popped up to her feet. She yawned and stretched, too, having been sitting for longer than she liked. “Well, I’ve got other places to be. See you later, Tara,” she said, waving and already walking away.

“Bye, Kim!” her teammate bid her farewell, waving, too. 

“Hey, wait, is it all right for you to be walking around out there on your own?” Ron asked.

Tara giggled. “Trust me, Ron, you should pity the Bebe that runs into Kim.”

He looked skeptical, but he did not say anything as the petite redhead continued on her way, exiting the roof that they were on. She seemed nonchalant enough, so Ron figured she would probably be all right. He turned his attention back to Tara.

“I hope somebody heard all of that. I can’t believe you dug up all of that information,” Ron said to Tara. 

Tara only smiled. She had not dug up any of that information. Vivian had given her all of that information and those video feds, telling her to get it out to the public because Vivian wanted to make sure Bonnie’s body count did not get any larger. Thankfully, many people had evacuated the city already since the Bebes seemed to be taking over. 

“So, what’re you going to do now, Tara?” Ron inquired with an arched eyebrow.

“Me? Or do you mean the Knight Sabers?” Tara countered, packing up her computer equipment.

“The annoying pests looking to right the wrongs of the Bebes, but then again, even you guys can’t handle this mess,” Barkin huffed, motioning around them.

“Well, we don’t have hard suits anymore…” Tara conceded. Before she could elaborate on that, her cell phone chimed. She thought it might be Vivian or Kim, but she was surprised to find she got a text message. Her face scrunched up as she opened her phone. “This is a GJ code.” 

Ron’s phone went off and Rufus popped out of his pocket to hand it to him. “I got the same one.” And then he blinked as he realized what it meant. “Whoa! Barkin, officers are waiting for instructions! They want to do something about this Bebe thing!”

Barkin smiled and nodded. “If we’ve got enough guys and guns, we can go down there and seal off the Dragon Line. We’ll put an end to all of this crap.”

“Do we have weapons to take on Bebes?” Tara asked and then she started hooking her computer things back up to run a search.

“We should have everything we need down at the armory,” Ron commented without thinking. Oh, god, he was hyped up, he realized. He was ready to run off and fight Bebes with his insane colleagues. _I guess I just feel like I belong with them and belong here. I won’t be run off by some overgrown robo-pet_. 

“So, now we just have to figure out what part of the Dragon Line to attack,” Barkin mused aloud.

“I’ve got that already. If we hit this part…” Tara pointed on the screen. “We might actually be able to save the north part of the city and contain the phenomena in the city, thus saving the freaking country!” she cheered. 

“Sounds as good as anything else we have,” Ron agreed and Rufus let out a squeak, going along with the crowd.

“Okay, so, let’s gather the guys!” Barkin ordered. The two blonds saluted him. It was time for GJ to get one last hurrah!

-8-8-8-8-

Shego walked into the Silk Android and looked around, only to find scantly clad mannequins looking back at her. She doubted she had ever seen the place so deserted and she waited for some tumbleweed to blow by. She walked to the back where the wall was what most customers assumed to be a large fish tank. She watched the exotic fish swim by for a few seconds until the person she wanted to see dropped into view. Vivian swam up to the glass and pointed up. Shego nodded. 

Vivian swam to the top of her pool. She had only just put the fish in it, thinking it would be aesthetically pleasing. _What a waste of money_. She stepped out of the pool into her den. Will came up to her with a towel and she used it to dry her hair. She turned her attention to Will.

“You know, if you want to leave, it’s fine,” Vivian said in a gentle tone. 

“I made a vow to protect you and stay by your side,” Will replied. He would keep his word, no matter what the city threw at him. 

Vivian smiled. “I knew you’d say that.” She then turned her attention to the body at the other end of the room. Shego sat at the bar, playing with a can of beer rather than drinking it. Vivian chuckled as she walked over to the biker. “It’s easier to drink away sorrow than to wallow in it,” she commented.

“I was under the impression that drinking it away actually meant you were drowning in it,” Shego replied, cutting the older woman a glance. 

Vivian scratched her forehead a little. “You might have me there. So, what’re you doing here? I figured you’d be rushing to get your brothers out of here. You don’t need any more mental scars, right?”

Shego’s face ticked, ready to frown, but she held it off. “No more than you do. My brothers are on their way to Middleton.” 

Vivian nodded, but the smile on her face and the twinkle in her eye told that she knew more than what Shego said. “You and Kim are so close now,” she pointed out, knowing Kim’s hometown was Middleton. She could guess where Shego’s brothers would be staying.

Emerald eyes rolled. “She’s just a pest. So, I see you’re staying around. I’m guessing this place is safe.” 

“Yeah. Pretty much you could hit this place with a tactical nuclear weapon and I’m pretty sure all it would do is shake the foundation. You do know there will be new hard suits soon. They’re still Bebes, but you can control the core. It’s basically a Bebe who does like you, so it’ll get along with you.”

The rocker chuckled a bit. “Funny, for the longest, I was sure you hated Bebes most of all.”

“I’m sure I would feel much better if I did only hate them. But, I love them and I hate them. I know their potential and I also know what they’re capable of. If only you knew the dreams we had in Bonnie. When we used the technology to save Felix…” Vivian smiled, but looked like she wanted to cry.

Shego shook her head. “I’m over blaming you. You should get over it, too.” She then actually reached out and patted Vivian on the shoulder. 

Vivian chuckled again. “The problem is I never truly understood Bonnie. We thought she would do what we wanted, but as a Bebe — as _the_ Bebe — she has her own agenda, her mind. A Bebe is its own and once it changes shape, it shows that it’s its own. It rebels against humans that it so dislikes and becomes itself. It changes shape and reaches its potential.” She looked Shego in the eye and smiled cunningly. “I was stupid not to take that into account before.”

An ebony eyebrow arched high. “Eh?”

And Vivian’s usual smile showed up. “You’ll see when you see Betty and Felix’s handiwork.” 

Shego sighed. “New hard suits, huh? They can still go nuts, though, can’t they?”

“Well, that depends on if their will is stronger than yours. So far, do you think that’s true?” Vivian countered.

The singer snorted and took a sip of her beer while Vivian’s usual smug look transformed into one of pain. She grimaced and grabbed her chest. The biker turned and noticed Vivian’s crouched over form. 

“Damn it, Bonnie, I won’t let you torment me or humans like this anymore!” Vivian growled from deep in her throat. She then screamed as if she was in extreme pain.

“Damn it! Will!” Shego hollered, hoping the butler would be able to help.

-8-8-8-8-

Bonnie smiled while a blue orb of light grew between her hands. She disbursed the energy as the door to her room was opened. Drakken burst in, grinning like maniac, and chuckling under his breath.

“Bonnie, you’re doing a wonderful job! Your phenomenon’s spreading throughout the whole city! Soon we’ll take on the country and then the world, all through the Dragon Line. If only that idiot Gemini knew what he was setting up!” Drakken cackled. “Soon I’ll rule the world!”

Bonnie turned to Drakken, bewilderment in her young, blue eyes. “You’ll rule the world? Why would you want that?” she asked. Her aunties had never mentioned such a thing as far as using her power, so she could only wonder why he — another human like her aunts — would want that.

“What do you mean why would I want that? Because I deserve it!” Drakken pressed his hands to his chest. “Everyone should bow down to me and revere me! The whole reason I made you and brought you here was for everyone to find out what a genius I am!” Drakken clapped his hands together and threw them over his head in a grand fashion.

Bonnie tilted her head and continued looking on, totally baffled by what the man was telling her if the look in her eyes meant anything. She did not understand this man. He was nothing like her aunties… not she understood them anymore. But, there was just something about this man that was beyond her comprehension and she was not too sure if she was willing to try to understand for much longer. He was just too different from her aunties for her to even want to bother. 

“I’m still learning much, Doctor Drakken. There’s still so much out of my grasp,” Bonnie said. There was something she wanted, something the Bebes wanted, but she could not pinpoint it yet. She felt like she needed to mature and learn more before coming to figure out what it was she desired. Maybe her aunties were right and she was not old enough yet.

“There’s nothing that you need to learn. You’re just a machine and you follow my orders,” Drakken informed her in a harsh tone.

Bonnie blinked and stared hard at the blue-skinned doctor. No, she did not understand this man at all. But, then again, she did not understand humans, and she really did not want to.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego sighed as she pulled her bike into Betty’s rundown garage. Vivian had urged her to go there when the pains in her chest started to subside. She was all too aware that it was to see the new hard suits. The garage reminded her of the city around them, deserted and ghostly. She strolled through the building to the back and going into a sealed room.

In the room, Betty stood behind a console, focusing on the screen while Felix inspected one of four Bebes. The Bebes were more shells and skeletons than complete robots. Shego glanced at those and Felix noticed her, acknowledging her with a smile before pulling out a small welding torch. 

“Are these for the new suits?” Shego asked.

“Well, they’re for one of the new suits,” Felix answered with a slight laugh.

“One?” Shego echoed incredulously. “Just one suit needs all of this?”

“Yeah! Incredibly enough, Betty and Aunt Vivian came up with this new, brilliant suit design! The new suit actually will enhance the metal formation and style with your own thoughts. The one thing is that new design makes everything heavier, but it’s got way more power, more defense, and everything!” Felix beamed as he spoke and then his face lit up even more. “Oh, does this mean you’ll wear a suit since you’re here? You’ll love it! The design is just brilliant!”

“So you’ve said,” Shego commented dryly and then she turned to Betty. A cocky grin over took the pale face. “So, you think better sober or did you come up with this in a drunken fog?” 

Before Betty could do more than glare at the biker, Kim called out Shego’s name. The biker turned to where the voice came from and Kim stepped out of another room. She had on her new hard suit, which was extremely sleek, fitting like a white and blue metal glove. Her arms and legs were in cased in the most metal, not counting the helmet. The suit certainly did not leave a lot to the imagination when it came to Kim’s midsection, though. 

“This is spanking! It was tricky to put on, but it’s just ridiculous once you get into it! The other suits don’t even compare to this! I feel like I could run around the world in under a minute!” Kim declared with a grin. She was tempted to do some flips, but the area was nowhere near as big as the Pit. She knew she would face-plant into a wall if she did any somersaults. 

“I doubt you could do that, but these suits are ten times better than the old ones as far as everything goes. I think you’ll have fun finding out all of the little goodies in these suits,” Betty commented with an amused, somewhat proud smirk.

“You’re smiling? I’m almost sure you’re either drunk off your ass in a way that I’ve never seen before or really sober,” Shego remarked. Betty grunted, but Felix came in to save the conversation.

“Betty and Vivian really came up with something amazing here… even if the suits still have Bebe parts…” Felix commented, a grim look in his eyes. He knew what those Bebe parts could mean. They all did. Still, Kim was willing to take the risk. Shego did not look quite as eager.

“C’mon!” Kim hit Shego in the shoulder with the back of her hand. “You know you want one!” 

The biker frowned, but then a wicked grin overtook her face. “It’s not really that…” she said, knowing Kim would take the bait.

“No? Then what is it?” Kim inquired, her face scrunched up in confusion.

“I’m seeing a lot more of you than I’m used to and I’m not sure if I want to be on display like that,” Shego quipped, leering down at Kim’s midsection. 

Olive eyes followed the biker’s gaze and looked down. “Holy crap!” She did not realize that from the bottom of her breasts down to below her navel was very much on display. That was way more skin than she was used to showing. “Did you guys know I showing this much of my body?” she demanded from the two engineers.

Betty coughed and glanced away. “Vivian designed these.” 

Before Kim could go off about how she was practically naked — honestly, her stomach was covered with a tinted, but transparent layer of protector armor — Felix’s phone went off. He quickly retrieved the device from his pocket, recognizing the ring tone. He quickly answered.

“Yes, Tara?” Felix asked.

“Felix, we’re in big trouble and I don’t know what to do! There’s a Bebe the size of a freaking t-rex coming at us!” Tara hollered, loud enough for everyone around Felix to hear the conversation.

“What? Who’s we?” Felix inquired, forehead wrinkled as he tried to understand what was going on.

“Oh, crap! Tara went out with the GJ force. They were going to try to cut the Dragon Line!” Kim remembered, eyes wide as she realized the trouble the blond Saber was probably in.

“Sounds like the Dragon Line decided to bite back,” Shego remarked, earning glares from Kim and Felix. “What?” the biker had the nerve to ask.

“Kim,” Felix said, turning to her while they could all hear a lot of panic and destruction coming through his phone.

Kim smiled and nodded. “One question, where the hell are the batteries on this new suit and how long do I have?”

“The battery runs through out the suit and I’ve added a new feature that basically makes the thing solar powered. The sun charges the battery, but you have plenty of time if you find yourself stuck in a dark tunnel, which I wouldn’t put past any of you,” Betty replied dryly.

“Then launch her already before Tara becomes Dragon chow!” Shego ordered and this time earned weird looks for everyone in the room. “What?” the biker asked. No one bothered to answer that one.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara crouched down behind one of the many GJ armored cars parked on the street. She had been quite amazed when the whole force answered Barkin’s call to duty, even the chief showed up. They did not get a chance to do much, though. As soon as they were going to spring into action and sever the Dragon Line, a huge Bebe shot out of an underground tunnel, seemingly to protect the power line.

The GJ officers thought things would be all right, even if they had to fight a monster-sized Bebe. They were GJ, after all, and they did these sorts of things all the time. They had all shown up in full gear with weapons galore. They went at the huge, hulking Bebe that looked almost like Godzilla as they always went at Bebes, with a hail of bullets. It worked about as well as it always worked, Tara quietly noted, which made her groan.

“We could really use some help here!” Tara shouted into the phone.

She winced, watching the giant, monster Bebe wipe out a wave of GJ officers with a wave of its massive hand. Barkin and Ron fell back, continuing to fire on the mechanical beast. They both frowned.

“We’re wasting time and ammo on this thing,” Ron pointed out.

“Well, you got a better idea on how to destroy that thing?” Barkin countered with a typical frown.

“Well, we know the core is in there somewhere, probably the head or something, right? We’ve got to get up high enough to destroy the head and we need enough fire power to crack the armor,” Ron replied.

“And how pray tell are we going to get anywhere near that thing’s head?” Barkin huffed, glaring at his partner now because he thought Ron was not helping the situation with fanciful ideas.

Rufus popped out of Ron’s pocket, hearing all of the commotion. He ran up Ron’s leg and body before settling on his shoulder. He turned Ron’s head behind them in order to answer the question.

“You can’t be serious, Rufus!” Ron groaned. He stared at their high-powered squad car. He knew immediately what Rufus had in mind.

“Uh-huh,” Rufus squeaked.

Ron groaned and whined, but he took off for the car anyway. Barkin hollered after him, but Ron did not turn around. The larger man followed Ron, who hopped into the Barkin’s patrol car. Barkin did exactly the same thing, even though he did not know what was going on.

“Are you running away, you little coward?” Barkin demanded, going so far as to aim his gun at Ron. “All those men died and you’re just running away?”

Ron did not respond at first, turning on the car. “You’ve got a lot of nerve questioning me! I was supposed to be going back to Middleton today to get out of all of this insanity and now you’re questioning me? I’m here, aren’t I?” Ron thundered at him, not appreciating the accusations when he was about to do just about the stupidest thing possible to try to save the day.

Before Barkin could say anything back, Ron peeled off, driving straight for the roaring Bebe. As expected, the Bebe snatched up the car, holding it tightly in it’s crushing grip and dragging the vehicle toward its mouth while merging with the metal. Tara could not believe her eyes.

“Those idiots!” Tara screamed, taking the words right out of the chief’s mouth.

“Tara, what’s going on?” Felix hollered into the phone, sounding frantic.

Tara was not in the position to answer right away, as she was busy running for cover. Ron and Barkin had heavy artillery, rocket launchers, aimed at the Bebe and they opened fire into its mouth, which was wide open. The entire head exploded and the GJ car was also blown apart. Barkin and Ron were thrown to the ground while entire area was covered in smoke.

“Tara!” Felix yelled into the phone before it went dead.

Tara coughed as she picked herself up from behind a short, cement wall. She watched the smoke clear while Barkin and Ron crawled over to her, near safety. They propped themselves up on the wall, panting for breath and bleeding from various parts of their bodies, as they gazed at the now headless, dinosaur-shaped Bebe.

“That crazy plan worked, Rufus!” Ron cheered despite the pain he felt. Rufus coughed and threw his buddy a thumbs’ up.

“Uh… guys, don’t celebrate too soon,” Tara replied, pointing in horror at what was supposed to be their vanquished foe.

The Bebe pulsed and out of the stump that was its neck, a thick gaggle of wires shot out. The wires fused together and formed a new head, with bigger and sharper teeth. The humans gulped while the Bebe roared so loudly it rumbled in the humans’ bones.

“What do we have to do to kill this thing?” Ron shouted, putting his head in his hands. He tried to think of something. “How is it still going without a core?”

Tara leaned forward as the Bebe took a step forward, going for more cars to merge with. Why could the Bebe function without a core? It was the same as a human walking around without a heart and a brain. And then she thought that she saw it.

“Holy crap! The thing has cables hooking it up directly to the Dragon Line!” Tara noticed. It was basically connected to the Bebe version of life support.

“You’re kidding?” the guys’ said and they took a look. They groaned as they saw it, too. 

“If that thing is connected to the Dragon Line, then the Sky Hook is just going to keep feeing it power. We can’t do anything if we can’t disconnect those cables,” Tara sighed and slumped down next to the officers. 

“At times like this, I wish I smoked,” Ron remarked, leaning his head back against the wall. “If anybody’s got any ideas, sharing them now would be good, huh?” he said, reaching up to wipe away sweat and blood.

The Bebe roared again and turned its glowing red eyes to the officers. They all tried to scramble to their feet as the Bebe started reaching out for them. Suddenly, the arm stopped and several projectiles penetrated its neck, blowing apart the wires. Before the officers could figure out what happened, an explosion sounded off right at the Bebe’s head. The dark, grey smoke covered the area again.

As the smoke cleared, there stood Kim in her brand new Knight Saber suit, shining like ivory and the ocean in the sun. Tara was about ready to cry when she saw the flashy new hard suit, but she knew there would be time for that later. Right now, she just wanted to get off the street alive.

“Hey, you have to cut the cables down by the tunnel! The thing’s connected to the Dragon Line instead of having a normal core!” Tara pointed, just in case Kim needed more direction.

Kim nodded and then she sprung into action so quickly the GJ officers did not see what happened. There was another massive explosion and smoke once again covered the area. They could all hear the Bebe roaring, almost as if screaming in pain; the sound blew out the windows in nearby buildings. The smoke blew in the direction of the roar and Kim walked out of the rubble like a victorious gunslinger while the Bebe dropped behind her.

“How freaking cool was that!” Tara grinned. She could not wait to get her own suit!

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Bonnie decides to step things up a notch while Kim and Shego go off on their own, leading to Tara and Vivian going off on their own, which leads to trouble.


	22. “Crawling in the Dark”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept. The concept comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title comes from a song by Hoobastank.

 

22: “Crawling in the Dark”

Drakken could not believe his eyes as he watched Bonnie, who had grown quite a bit. He believed her sudden growth was from her gaining power. She stood in the center of the room, looking like a young woman now with blue orbs floating around her. Her eyes glowed and her chest had a blue orb glowing in it. She did not say anything and the silence forced a frown onto Drakken’s face. 

“Bonnie, what is it you’re doing over there?” he inquired, trying to control his temper, but she was working his nerves. The lead Bebe had taken to giving him the silent treatment very recently. She ignored him now. “Bonnie!” he screamed, face turning red.

“You think you created me, don’t you?” Bonnie asked, not bothering to turn to face him. 

“Of course I created you! It was my genius that first came up with the idea of Bebes. The perfect servants!” Drakken declared, holding up a hand as if gesturing to the heavens.

“The perfect servants to obey you and take over the world?” she pressed, sounding calm and collected. 

“Of course!”

Bonnie turned and gazed curiously at him. “What makes you think you should control the world?” 

“Because I can!” Drakken declared as if that was obvious. 

“You seem to think you’re better than everyone else, that you are perfect. But, you are only human, Drakken,” Bonnie pointed out, stating it as coolly as she would any other fact.

“The perfect human!” he argued, patting himself on the chest. 

“But, a human nonetheless. Humans are not perfect. They err all the time. My aunts told me so. Why, even they made an error and my aunts were far more superior than you, Drakken,” Bonnie reasoned.

“Your aunts? If you’re referring to Doctor Porter and Renton!” Drakken snarled, twisting his face with outrage, and made a tight fist.

“They were able to figure out how to put me together and how to make me function as any other intelligent being. You weren’t able to do such a thing,” Bonnie pointed out, tilting her head to the side. A devilish smirk tugged on her lip, hinting she purposely pulled his strings — not that he got that.

“They didn’t figure it out! They took a short cut! I was the one who proposed making a machine of flesh and blood and creating you!” he screamed, pointing to himself again. His beady black eyes lit with passion, begging for recognition.

Bonnie snarled and the lights in the room flickered on and off. Buzzing could be heard, as if circuits were overloaded. Drakken looked around, wondering what was going on. He glared at Bonnie, instinctively knowing she was doing something.

“You did nothing, Drakken. You’re a sad, pathetic creature, not even worthy of being human. You think you can control a being that’s perfect?” Bonnie demanded and then she pointed to herself. “I. Am. PERFECT. It had nothing to do with you.”

“You’re nothing without me! You were nothing without me! Your precious aunts wanted to kill you!” Drakken barked back, daring to take a step toward her. 

The devilish smirk tugged even more at Bonnie’s cruel lips. “My aunts wanted to educate me to learn my purpose and they wanted to do it slowly. I know my purpose now, much faster than they would’ve thought possible. The time of humans is over.” 

“Wha-what do you mean?” Drakken’s voice trembled. His feet refused to take him any closer to her.

A snap from Bonnie’s fingers was his answer. Wires shot out from all directions, grabbing him about his wrists and ankles. The wires held him tightly, cutting through his jumpsuit and biting into his flesh. Blood darkened his cuffs quickly and Bonnie smiled all the way through the process.

“I’ve heard that underneath it all, humans are just electric impulses and energy. If so, you should be able to join with me. I know that’s not true, though. My aunt didn’t join me. Her impulses and energy disappeared when I took her body. Should I take your body, Drakken?” Bonnie wondered aloud. 

“Bonnie, cut this out right now! I created you!” Drakken huffed. His eyes searched the room for something to save him. The room itself was supposed to be his protection. He had made it to contain Bonnie’s powers, to keep her from growing out of control, but he never counted on her becoming as powerful as she was. He never thought that little girl that Vivian and Rebecca cuddled would become a god-like female with no desire to be controlled by the likes of him.

“You created nothing! You are nothing! You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to show you just how insignificant you are,” Bonnie decided.

Drakken started to yell, but wires wrapped around his mouth. One side of his body was released and he was yanked toward the wall. Wires burst from there and seemed to consume him. Bonnie watched his wide onyx eyes disappear into her wall, a smirk never leaving her face.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego leaned against the wall as she watched Felix carrying plenty of machine parts. Kim helped him. The biker’s face scrunched up as he put the parts into a machine.

“Isn’t this thing a little big?” Shego asked, watching him put the suit together. It looked like he was putting together a tank. She could not imagine wearing that thing and walking, let alone fighting anything in it. 

“They have to start out this big to perform all of the functions. It’s just that we compress them for you guys. We can’t have you struggling to stand while fighting off Bebes, right?” Felix asked with a charming grin.

Shego rolled her eyes. “Still, this thing looks weird. I mean, how the hell do you compress them so much for us to use them?” 

“Hey, they’re damned cool! They’re sleek and sexy and pack one hell of a punch! I mean, Kim took down like the tyrannosaurus-rex of Bebes by herself and she did it in like one punch! It was freaking amazing!” Tara declared with enthusiasm, awe sparkling in her eyes. She hopped around for a moment before jumping into a few kick moves. 

Kim nodded. “They definitely spank the old suits in a lot of ways. There is just one problem I have with them.”

“Problem?” Tara blinked hard, ceasing her movements to focus on her good friend. “What kind of problems?” 

“Felix, are you or Betty going to do anything about that ‘little’ problem?” Kim asked with a stern, demanding look in her olive eyes. It made Tara gulp wile Felix just turned away.

“Uh… Kim…?” Tara asked.

Kim beckoned Tara with her index finger. She then whispered into Tara’s ear and Shego burst out laughing when she saw how wide Tara’s eyes got. It would not have been a surprise if Tara’s light blue eyes fell out of her head and rolled around on the floor. 

“You mean completely naked?” Tara screeched, holding her hand against her chin.

The shout got an eyebrow raised from the biker. She wondered who would be totally naked. Glancing at Kim, she quickly shook the thought out of her head. She silently promised her not to do that again. 

“Hey, Felix, where’s your old drunkard teacher anyway?” Shego asked, wanting to get her mind off of the mental images running around her head.

“Betty? She and Aunt Vivian are upstairs talking,” Felix answered, getting back to work.

Shego nodded and glanced over at the stairs that led upstairs. She then looked over at the group that she was with. They were very much into putting together parts for the hard suits. She slipped away without notice… or so she thought. Olive eyes followed her, but that was all.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian and Betty sat on a low sofa in the dark. Vivian rested against the mechanic. She appeared to be asleep while Betty stared off into space. The one-eyed woman turned as Vivian pressed closer to her. 

“I’ve missed this so much,” Vivian whispered, wrapping her arms around the mechanic’s waist. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of motor oil, cheap bourbon, and even cheaper shampoo. None of that mattered to her because underneath it all, she could smell a hint of essential Betty.

“Don’t,” Betty warned, but she did not make any moves to get up. She returned to gazing off at the wall. 

“Why not? Why do you keep fighting against us?” Vivian begged, voice low and pleading.

“I’m not the same person I was and you’re not the same person.”

“My feelings haven’t changed for you. Are you saying yours have changed?” Vivian turned to peer into Betty’s deep gaze. The mechanic continued to look off in the distance. A frown sliced across Vivian’s face. “So, what’s this been for you? I’m just another part of your guilt? Just something else to get lost in to forget everything that happened!” she hissed. 

Betty growled and ripped herself off of the couch, marching to the other end of the room. She continued facing the wall, not able to trust herself to look at robotics specialist. Vivian snorted and glared at the broad back facing her.

“Well!” Vivian demanded. 

“Viv… I’m a broken person, you know that. I’m a hopeless drunk. Hell, I drink so much I forgot who the hell Felix was when I first saw him. Forgot you had a nephew. Forgot you had a sister and I wanted to forget that! I wanted to forget my feelings for you, my failing you…” her voice trailed off as shame seemed to ooze from her very being. 

“You didn’t fail me! You saved me! If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve died with Rebecca!” Vivian pointed out, throwing her hands out to the side, not that Betty could see.

“Yes, and then what did I do? Helped you almost get killed several times after that. Let your guilt eat you away. Offer no real support whatsoever. Lived my life at the bottom of a bottle, drowning and watching you drown right next to me. I failed you on every level possibly from that day to now!” Betty spat bitterly. 

“Betty, I have my own demons and you have your own. You don’t need to carry yours and mine. You’re not the only broken person here, but maybe it’s time for us to start healing. We can beat Bonnie and then we can live our lives — together.”

Betty was silent and the quiet seemed deafening to the smaller woman. She was not sure why she had hope now, why she believed things could be better now, but they could. She wanted Betty to believe this, too. She approached the mechanic and wrapped her arms around Betty’s waist. She pressed herself into Betty’s muscular back. 

“I love you so much. I’ll always love you,” Vivian muttered into tense shoulders. Tears gathering in her eyes and her lip trembled, on the verge of crying. Fear gripped her insides like a clamp, thinking Betty’s feelings might have changed. Maybe this one constant that had been in her life was just another illusion, another mistake in life. 

“Vivian, you have to be careful with these suits, even though they’re built with newer technology. We’re still using the original data, so you could still be hurt badly. I think it would be better if you just never used the suit,” Betty explained, trying her best to sound emotionless.

Tears flowed down pale cheeks, but a smile came onto Vivian’s face. “Thank you…” Betty still cared, in her own gruff way.

Betty did not say anything more. A couple of tears slid down her face and she put her hands over the small ones around her waist. Vivian knew the mechanic was a woman of few words, especially emotional ones, so the touching gesture meant the world to her. She placed a gentle kiss to the back of Betty’s neck.

-8-8-8-8-

Claws dug into the stone walls behind the biker as a tight frown cut across the pale green face. She tore her eyes away from the private moment between Betty and Vivian and marched downstairs as if she was trying to put her feet through each step. _So stupid_. She continued on when she hit the ground floor. 

“Hey, Shego, you wanna give us a hand?” Kim called, turning away from the parts she carried. She caught sight of Shego just enough to notice the tense expression on her face as the rocker continued on out of the garage. “Shego?” she called to the fleeing woman. “Shego!”

Shego did not turn around and kept on moving. Kim dumped the parts in her hand, dropping them on the floor as if they were nothing more than junk, and chased after the biker. Tara and Felix called after her, but just like Shego, she did not stop. Tara and Felix opted not to go after them, though.

“What’s up with them?” Tara wondered aloud. 

Felix shrugged. “I dunno. My aunt said something about them having pinned up frustrations with each other. Maybe they’re going to sort that out.”

Tara scratched the side of her head. “I thought Vivian was just joking about all of that stuff!”

He shrugged again. “I dunno.” 

“We don’t have time for that! They need to do that after we save the city!” Tara threw her hands out just to emphasis her point.

“World,” Felix corrected her.

Tara blinked. “World?” she echoed in a perplexed tone.

“Bonnie can control any electronic device and has a drive to do so. She wants to connect to everything and she will eventually, unless we stop her,” Felix answered.

Tara shook her head. “I don’t understand why your mother and aunt and all those scientists would create something like her.” 

“They wanted to help and save lives. They would have been able to save lives if Bonnie turned out the way that they hoped. Bebes wouldn’t have been toys if they had their way. Hey, because of their research and work on Bonnie, they were able to save my life. Sure, it’s left me with some issues and things, but looking at my aunt and Betty, I’ve come to realize everyone has issues.” 

Tara smiled. “That’s great!” She then blushed as she realized what she said. “Um… not about everyone having issues, but that you’re cool with who you are.” 

Felix smiled, not wanting to burst her bubble by saying anything. He was not totally fine with who he was, but he was getting there. He understood the gift his mother and aunt had given him and he wanted to enjoy it. He also wanted to give back because of it. Maybe one day he would be totally fine with not being completely human, but definitely not being a Bebe either. He considered he should just count his blessing for being alive and leave things at that. Why label himself further if it would only cause him grief?

-8-8-8-8-

Drakken struggled against the bonds that now held him to the wall in Bonnie’s room. A large section of the wall was gone, opened by wires at Bonnie’s will and exposing the room to the outside. She sat on the edge of the floor, dangling her legs, looking out into the city and listening to Drakken’s grunts and groans as they diminished. She cut him a glance when it seemed that he had finally done with his futile struggle.

“Finally give up? I guess you’re not as dumb as you look,” Bonnie remarked, smirking and looking like a very satisfied predator.

“Listen, Bonnie, why don’t you let me down and we can talk about this?” Drakken suggested, pleading look in his eyes. Sweat dripped from his damp hair and forehead onto the floor.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I’m going to keep my promise and let you watch as I show you how insignificant you are. You’re just a small little human and very imperfect. Something like an insect of a sort. Let me show you what something perfect can do,” Bonnie replied, again voice just cool and confident. It was like nothing could shake her.

“What’re you talking about?” he demanded, grunting in pain as the wires tightened and pulled him deeper into the wall. 

“I’m going to do what you showed me how to do, show you what I’ve learned,” Bonnie commented, turning her gaze back out into the city.

“What do you mean?” he asked again. 

“I’m going to play with that toy you gave me,” Bonnie answered and she started to laugh.

Onyx eyes squinted in confusion and then widened with realization. “The Dragon Line? What’re you going to do with it?”

“Whatever I want and I want to rid this planet of imperfection. It troubles me to have to look out and see such waste,” Bonnie replied. “Now, shut up and watch.” 

Drakken was about to open his mouth, but he started screaming. The wires pressed into him, cutting him deeper than before. Bonnie smiled as she listened to his howls of pain as lights in the city started flickering on and off. A faint rumbling sound, like the start of an earthquake, hummed through the streets. 

-8-8-8-8-

Shego did not notice any rumbling as she sped down the cracked and deserted streets of Mega-Go City. The emptiness of the city did not bother her, but she hoped her brothers got out of the dying metropolis. She was still waiting for a call from them to confirm they were fine, even though she knew it would lead to a million questions from them about her safety and state of mind. She hoped they did not call anytime soon. She doubted she could lie to them about being fine right now.

“What the hell is wrong with me?” Shego muttered to herself, knowing exactly what the hell was wrong with her. “The hell? I’m not fifteen anymore!” she grumbled, pushing her bike to go faster, as if it would get her away from what she was feeling.

Shaking her head, wanting to rid herself of her recent discovery, she turned sharply at the corner. Crunches that did not reach her ears sounded underneath her bike as she rode by one of the many Bueno Nachos in the city. The bike destroyed lil Diablo toys that littered the street. She did not think anything of it, even if she had noticed it.

Silence and shadows blanketed the street as Shego slowed the bike down. With her engine down to a slight hum, she swore she heard laughter. She stopped the bike completely and thought she heard the patter of footsteps, but they sounded tiny to her ears, like toddlers running through the streets. She doubted that was the case, though. 

“Maybe it’s rats,” Shego considered, even though she doubted that. She had long ago scared off all of the rats in her neighborhood. The little rodents learned quickly that to bother Shego meant being burned and there was no rat ICU in any of the nearby hospitals, so it was best to avoid her.

She pushed her bike toward her trailer and dismounted. Suddenly, she turned, hands blazing, and cutting right through a lil Diablo toy that was bearing down on her. When she realized what she did, she was about to laugh to herself, thinking the toy probably just fell off of her home. But, then she noticed glowing eyes in the dark and a swarm of children’s toys — lil Diablos — attacked her.

“Son of a bitch!” Shego snarled as she started cutting through the toys.

As fast as Shego was, she was not quick enough to rid her body of the dozens of toys that clung to her. They pinched and bit her, causing her to roar in fury more than anything else. She slashed with more vigor, taking out several little bots with one blow. Unfortunately, more came, ready to devour her like a murder of crows. 

“Damn it, I was always skeptical when people said fast food would kill me,” Shego remarked, kicking several tiny bots away from her.

“Oh, if it does kill you, can I give the eulogy?” Kim smirked as she charged in, wielding a thin pipe that she swung like it was the best staff, knocking down several little Diablo toys. 

“Princess? The hell are you doing here?” Shego inquired, still struggling with all of the small robots crawling on her like fire ants.

“I followed you, doy!” Kim grunted as she ripped a toy off of her back as the lil Diablos started attacking her. 

“Oh, that was obviously a brilliant move!” Shego snorted, rolling her eyes despite the situation they were in.

“Remind me never to come save you again!” Kim grunted, slapping away several toys as they tried to ambush her from above.

“Oh, fine job you’re doing!”

It was Kim’s turn to roll her eyes. “Next time I’ll just leave you to get eaten by the Bueno kid’s meal prize.” 

While bantering back and forth, Kim and Shego continued to fight the little Diablo toys. Kim twirled her makeshift staff, batting away tiny bots as they were about to jump at Shego. The biker turned and threw a plasma blast, taking down other toys aimed for Kim’s legs. The pair moved around each other, back to back, working together like strong wind and a forceful river to take down a mountain of little Diablos. It looked as if fighting together took about as much effort as having snappy insults between them. 

When the dust cleared, Kim and Shego were leaning against each other and Kim was propping herself up on her weapon. They were more exhausted than anything else, panting as if they had run a mile in under five minutes. Swallow wounds and torn, sweat-soaked clothing adorned their tired frames.

Emerald eyes glanced over at the redheaded tornado and Shego could not hold back the smile that tugged at her lips. Kim was something else, she thought, taking in the sight of the warrior next to her. Her eyes focused in on the now loose straps of her tank top that had been ripped in the battle. Kim’s shirt dipped dangerously low and Shego’s eyes were locked on that. 

Kim was too busy assessing the damage on her body to notice where Shego’s eyes were, but the biker quickly realized what she was doing. She blinked hard several times and shook her head, throwing her thick hair around in the process. Kim was brushed by the moving shards and turned to look at Shego.

“You okay?” Kim inquired, giving Shego a visual once over to check on her wellbeing.

Besides the scraps and torn clothes, Shego did not look any worse for wear. Her biker leathers might never be fit to go outside in ever again… unless Shego made it into a leather bathing suit or something. Kim was just about to get lost in the thoughts of her teammate wearing a leather bikini when Shego answered her question. 

“Yeah,” Shego grunted.

Now Kim was the one shaking her head. “Pardon?”

The rocker raised an eyebrow as if questioning Kim’s sanity. “Yeah, I’m okay. How about you?” 

“Nothing a few band-aids won’t cure,” Kim answered, glancing down at her arms, dotted with red, puffy marks.

“I think I got a couple in the trailer.” Shego pointed her thumb in the direction of her home. 

Kim nodded and followed Shego into the trailer. The trailer was dark, but there was noise coming from one end, letting Shego know she left her computer/entertainment center on again. Ignoring what sounded like the news, she marched into her bedroom area. She yanked open a couple of drawers and pulled out some clothing. She then got a kick out of throwing clothes at Kim and smacking the petite woman in the side of the head with the gear. Kim had been too busy looking at the musical instruments lying about the place to realize she was under attack before it was too late. 

“Why are you hitting me with a tank top and sweat pants?” Kim asked, taking the black sweats from around her neck.

“I figured you’d want to change… unless of course you want to fall out of that top,” Shego remarked and then blatantly leered at Kim. 

“How kind of you and here it is I figured you’d just stare at me all night,” Kim teased.

Shego snorted and emerald eyes rolled. “Like you have anything to look at!” 

The pair turned and went to separate ends of the trailer in order to change their clothes, as if they had never seen each other nude before. There was just something about being alone after joking around in the way they were that told them they needed to separate for a few moments. Kim inspected her wounds once again before changing. She wanted to make sure that none of the marks were bleeding to avoid staining the clothes. There were nothing more than scratches and shallow wounds, so she slipped on the black sweat pants and the dark green tank top.

“Shego must really love these colors,” Kim muttered to herself. 

She was going to have a seat, but she noticed the computer in the corner. She sat down to check it out and saw it was showing live news feeds. She pulled up a chair and sat down, hoping to get caught up on what was going on and where everyone was fleeing. She prayed for their safety and that they were able to get far, far away if Bonnie was as dangerous as she seemed to be. 

Shego came up behind Kim and glanced at the screen, just to see what had her so wrapped up. “I wonder if my brothers made it out okay,” she muttered aloud, but was speaking to herself.

“They haven’t called you yet? My mother said they made it there this afternoon, along with my friend Monique,” Kim reported.

A frown cut across a pale face. “Those little bastards! I figured at least one of the twins would’ve called!” she huffed, folding her arms across her chest. _They’re going to make me worry out of my head!_  

“Well, you could’ve called them to find out what happened, just like they could’ve called you.” Kim suspected both parties were actually scared to call, not wanting to hear bad news.

Shego did not want to admit the truth in that, so she changed the subject. “It’s cool that your parents put them up.” 

“Well, my parents are cool people, as far as parents go anyway. I know I couldn’t ask for a better pair. Where are your parents, Shego? Are you brothers eventually going to go stay with them?” Kim asked.

Shego sighed, shaking her head. “No, I hope not, Princess.” She ran her hand through her hair. 

Shego looked down at Kim, who looked so patient, so sincere. Maybe it was exhaustion or maybe it was just the fact that Kim had somehow gotten under her skin, but those eyes bore into her, stared down into places she did not know existed. Shego cracked.

“My parents died back during the quake. They were trying to help some people out of a building when the whole thing caved in on them,” Shego said. 

“You’ve lost so many people. I’m so sorry, Shego…” Kim said, turning to face the older woman. She was a little surprised to find out how close Shego was to her, but she did not jump because of the close proximity.

“It’s all right. It’s not your fault. My family always has to play the hero,” Shego mumbled, shaking her head.

Kim turned a little more, putting her arm on Shego’s bare forearm, as the biker was wearing a tank top, too. A calloused peach hand caressed pale skin, causing them both to exhale slowly. They refused to break eye contact. 

“I don’t think any of your family plays at being a hero, Shego. Your parents were heroes for trying to save people and you’re a hero for trying to save people. Maybe it’s in your blood,” Kim reasoned.

“I think being a stubborn jackass is in my blood,” Shego remarked, a half smile tugging at her lips.

Kim smiled a bit. “That too, but I do think you’re a hero. I thought that before I ever met you, just knowing what you did as a Knight Saber. I’ve never given up on that throughout knowing you and that’s beyond you being a Knight Saber. You never give up without a fight, no matter how dangerous or how the odds are stacked against us. Never once did I think you wouldn’t be there for me or anyone else in our team, in battle or otherwise.”

Shego blinked. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. She was not sure how to respond. Her body started leaning without her brain’s permission, drawing her closer to Kim.

“No one’s ever said anything so nice to me…” Shego said in a voice below a whisper, as if she did not want to scare Kim off. Her head dipped after she spoke. 

Two pairs of green eyes fluttered shut as Kim tilted her head a little. Their mouths were close enough to feel each other’s breath, but before their lips were in danger of touching, Kim’s cell went off. They jumped a part in shock and Kim fumbled with the annoying device as she tried to answer it.

“Damn it, this better be good!” Shego snarled, not realizing what she was saying. She huffed and turned away, folding her arms across her chest. 

The redhead bit back a laugh, even though she felt the same way. “What’s the sitch?”

“Kim, where are you? Can you reach Shego? We’ve got an emergency and we need you both back here now!” Felix reported.

“Emergency?” Kim echoed and that got Shego’s attention. The two glanced at each other, as if asking what was going on. 

“We’ve got a huge Bebe ripping through downtown!” Felix informed them.

“Figures,” Shego scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

Kim cut Shego a glance. “We’ll be there as soon as possible, Felix.”

“Please, hurry, Kim! Aunt Vivian’s talking about going out, even though Betty told her it’s not safe for her to use the suit now!” Felix said. 

“Figures,” Shego repeated, rolling her eyes once again. “Damn crazy blond doesn’t listen to anybody.”

“Kim, is Shego with you?” Felix asked. 

“Uh… We’ll be there as soon as possible!” Kim replied, disconnecting the call and turning to the biker. “Shego, you know how he feels about Vivian! Why would you say those things?” 

“Because she’s a damn crazy blond, doy,” Shego answered. “So… I guess we gotta get moving before that damned crazy blond gets herself killed, huh?” The reluctance in her voice was not as carefully hidden as she usually did.

Kim glanced away and nodded. “Heroes save others first.”

Shego shook her head. “This is why I’m no hero,” she stated and she was about to pick up where they left off, leaning down and her mouth was a breath away from Kim’s lips. The redhead put a finger to puckered lips.

“Hold that thought. Right now, we have to do the hero thing,” Kim said, starting for the door. Somehow, she knew if she and Shego picked up where they left off, they would never get to Vivian in time. 

“God damn it, Vivian ruins everything,” Shego huffed, only partially serious with her words. “I need to shut this stupid computer down first,” she called to Kim, just in case the redhead heard her comment about Vivian.

“Hurry up,” was the reply.

Shego nodded and she moved to the computer to turn it off. She paused for a moment when a shot of more evacuees were shown. She snickered when she saw a familiar brawny brunette being hustled into one of the many trains leaving the city. He did not seem to be fighting against the soldiers ushering him on either. It would seem he was just what she thought of GJ officers. Once they did not have their big guns and weapons, they were all cowards. Barkin had been just a big blow-hard and now that GJ was gone, so was he. 

“Nothing but bravado,” Shego said, shaking her head. “Punk bitch.” She hated people who pretended to be all big and bad, but ran away when things got thick. “He’s nothing like—” her thought was cut off.

“Shego, you coming or what?” Kim inquired.

Shego could not help chuckling to herself. Kim had some timing, especially the way the gutsy redhead cut off her thoughts. “I’m coming! Stop nagging me, woman!” She quickly turned off the screen to her computer before moving to get to the door. She grabbed her cell phone on the way, which rested on a counter by the door.

“If you got any slower, you’d be going backwards,” Kim remarked as they made their way back into the still night of the city street. She was about to walk right by Shego’s bike, but the pale woman grabbed her.

“And if you’re going to that piece of shit you call a scooter, then you will be going backwards. Get on the damn bike,” Shego ordered. Well, really, it was an offer, but she never could make a mere suggestion.

“My scooter isn’t that bad! Felix souped it up!” Kim argued, even though she was making moves to mount the motorcycle with Shego. 

Shego scoffed as she started her ride. “Yeah, so now it can go as fast as ten-speed bike, right?”

“You know what? Shut up and drive,” Kim retorted.

“With pleasure!” Shego then blasted off as if the Devil was on their heels. Kim let out a squeal that delighted the driver, especially when Kim held on tightly around Shego’s waist. They never noticed how the ground beneath them rumbled, as if the city itself was about to be pulled up. 

-8-8-8-8-

“We can’t wait for Kim and Shego to get here! We need to move now before Bonnie totally moves the Dragon Line!” Vivian declared, pacing the floor of the Pit. The other three people around her would not be surprised if she wore a hole in the concrete floor.

Betty scratched her chin. “The military set up a perimeter around the city, right?” she asked. She was coming out a five year drunken haze, so she was trying to catch herself up with the rest of the group. She heard them talking about the military evacuating the city and other things, but she could not remember when they were talking about it.

“They’re managing to contain her with that,” Felix replied with a nod. 

“But, it won’t last for long. She’s spreading her influence,” Vivian reminded them. There were a round of nods. 

“Then it’s time for you two to suit up. We’ll be here to catch Shego and Kim,” Betty pointed out.

Felix’s mouth dropped open incredulously. Betty was the one who said it was dangerous for Vivian to use the suit in the first place! He was about to object, but then he noticed the strange look in Betty’s face. It was as if she had come to accept something, but he was not sure what.

Vivian turned to look at the one-eyed mechanic and the smile that spread on her face shined brighter than the sun to Betty. Betty reached out and rubbed Vivian’s shoulder. The touch was simple, but gentle and spoke volumes to Vivian, who knew Betty always had had trouble expressing her emotions with words, even before this mess. She hoped they were on the road to recovery. She was certain Betty was now fully behind her and putting her demons to rest if nothing else.

“Okay, now, you two have leave us alone for a few minutes while we ladies get dressed,” Vivian quipped with a smile.

“Huh?” Felix said and then he noticed the glare Tara shot him.

“Come on, Felix. All good things come to those who wait. Besides, I’m sure you remember what happened last time Tara needed to get dressed,” Betty remarked, putting her arm around his shoulders and he gulped. She led him away, not that he needed much coaxing as he recalled what had happened the last time he was around when Tara needed to get into her hard suit.

“Can we do this without them there?” Tara asked. 

“There are controls on the sides of the shells. I can do it, no problem. So, let’s get dressed,” Vivian commented.

The pair undressed and stepped into the bulky shells completely nude. Tara thought about how Kim had to go through the same thing earlier and told her about it. She had not been looking forward to sliding into the shell of the suit naked, but it was easier to do without Felix being around. Tara yelped because of the cold; she hated that the suits were always cold! Vivian chuckled a bit. 

“Okay, are you in the frame totally?” Vivian asked.

“Yup,” Tara answered. 

“Now, once I start everything up, you’ll be buckled down and secured in the suit shell. Inner metal is going to pour down after that and bond everything together before it all compresses and the outer part, the shells, close in around us,” Vivian explained.

“And why are we naked for this?” Tara inquired.

“The suit syncs to the best of its ability like this. The improved suit now is like a second skin… that completely enhances everything about you that you want it to do. It’s in sync with your nerves. You’ll get it more once you’re wearing the suit and you’ll feel the difference,” Vivian assured her. 

“I’m feeling cold.”

Vivian chuckled a bit. “You’ll be fine in a few seconds. Now, Tara, when the suit starts to mold to you, make sure you have your goals in mind as to what you want to do with the suit. This will bond it with you and this makes the suit become more than a second skin. It’s no longer just armor with weapons. The suit will be able to react to mental commands straight from your mind. A simple thought controls these and you have to be open with it for that to happen.”

“What do you mean more?”

“Oh, and make sure you keep your mouth closed. The last thing you want is the metal to go in there.”

Tara was about to ask another question, slightly panicked now because of how chipper Vivian sounded, but suddenly the frame clamped down. Braces closed around her forearms and calves. A chest plate came across their breasts and a helmet came over the top halves of their heads. Just as Tara was about to find her voice, things got worse. Silver melt, almost like thick mercury, poured through the frame.

“Ew! This is so gross!” Tara wailed. It felt like being stuck in tar… completely naked.

“Think of it like a mud bath,” Vivian replied as the pour halted. “Now, think of your goals and what you want to do in the suit. The liquid metal will then conform to the suit.”

Tara nodded and just as she started to think about the great things she wanted to do in the suit, the inner metal tightened and hardened. It closed around her flesh like a grey stocking and it cocooned around the bulky suit frame. The buckles of the frame released and Tara stepped out in her new shiny red and pink suit. 

The new suit was much sleeker than her old suit. It was a little more modest than the new suit Kim had sported that showed even more of the redhead’s mid-drift than her most revealing shirt. Tara’s suit showed off her bellybutton thanks to translucent armor; her belly was tinted a light pink. Her chest plate looked almost like an armored tank top because the same translucent armor covered her arms. There was some red and pink armor covering her shoulders and half of her forearms, flowing into the gloves of the armor over her hands. That was not what made her suit strange, though.

“Capris, Tara?” Vivian inquired. The armor on Tara’s legs looked like she had on Capri pants. They stopped just below her knees and her calves were covered in the translucent metal, going down into her boots. Thankfully, the armor was not bulky and it was not really noticeable because Vivian doubted anyone would take them seriously if they could tell Tara was actually wearing a metallic tank top and peddle-pushers.

“Can I help it if the suit took the form of my favorite clothes?” Tara countered. She then regarded Vivian, looking through her pink-tinted visor. “Are you really one to judge? Your suit has three-fourth sleeves and oval cuts in the upper part of the sleeves!” She did even want to mention the back flowed out just a little as if it were short, shirttails.

“Okay, can we have this argument later?” Vivian said, motioning to the door with her hand.

“Let’s go!” Tara cheered, pumping her fist in the air. She was ready to kick some Bebe/Bonnie butt in her new suit! She felt so invigorated… more so than usual. Vivian actually smiled from her enthusiasm. They took off.

-8-8-8-8- 

Betty and Felix entered the Pit again, knowing the blondes were gone. Betty ran her fingers over the control panel for the suits while Felix stared at the suit frames. He then turned to his mentor.

“Should we have tried to stop them?” Felix asked. 

“It wouldn’t have mattered. You should know by now, you can’t stop a blond once she gets an idea in her head,” Betty remarked with a half-smirk.

Felix nodded. “I guess that’s why you just gave in, even though you were the one that said Aunt Vivian shouldn’t wear a suit again.”

“Vivian has to do this and I have to accept that,” she answered with a shrug. There was no more half-in, half-out. They needed to get things done, so they both could move on and heal like Vivian said.

He nodded again and then regarded his mentor with somewhat sorrowful eyes. “Betty, you’re going to stand by my aunt, aren’t you?” Betty blinked at the odd question, so Felix continued. “It’s just… as _she_ gets more powerful…” He swallowed hard, unable to finish the way that he wanted to. “… I might not be here much longer…” he muttered, distress clear in every fiber of his being now. 

Betty’s face did not change. “I’ve stayed with her even when I thought I was worthless and she was crazy. We were both drunks and I was useless for the most part, but I tried to do what I could for her. We were both broken and now she wants to heal. I don’t see myself going anywhere. I don’t think you should give up so easily either. She’s not going to let you go without a fight.”

Felix smiled, clearly cheered up by those words. “I know. I promise, I won’t give up without a fight either. I am not a Bebe.” 

Their conversation was cut off as Kim and Shego charged in, panting as if they had run there rather than rode the motorcycle there. The mechanics turned to the newcomers, blinking hard at the strange appearances Kim and Shego. Their minor, but numerous wounds, were easily visible because of their sleeveless t-shirts.

“Suit us up!” the martial artists shouted simultaneously. 

“Uh… sure,” Betty replied. “How’d you two get those cuts?” she added, very curious about what those two got into. She knew they were trouble magnets, even though they would both deny it.

“Stop asking stupid questions!” Shego replied. 

Betty shrugged and paid no mind as Kim and Shego stripped without a worry among them — as far as their nudity was concerned anyway. Shego followed Kim’s example with the suits, climbing into the frame next to the redhead. Felix was kind enough to turn his head, even though they did not seem to notice or care that he was there.

“Okay, this might sting a little with those cuts,” Betty informed the duo in a nonchalant manner.

“Who the hell cares? Suit us up!” Shego ordered again, a little more harshly than she meant, but her tone rolled right off of the gruff mechanic. Betty shrugged and started the process for the suits. Kim and Shego both screamed like banshees when the inner metal met their wounded flesh.

-8-8-8-8- 

Vivian and Tara touched down in the middle of the city, taking a moment to watch what was going on. Cables and wires shot up from the ground, twirling together and forming giant worms. Tara could not help making a disgusted sound.

“Ew! Could this day get anymore gross?” Tara wondered aloud. 

“Sound like famous last words to me,” Vivian replied. “Okay, Tara, just so you know how serious this is, the Dragon Line is now spreading Bonnie’s phenomenon to anything it touches, bringing anything it touches to Bonnie’s will. It’s going to keep growing until she’s got the whole city under control by absorbing all electronics. Any piece of technology could be at her whim.” Things were pretty bad, Vivian silently noted, and she knew it was only going to get worse if they did not stop Bonnie before her will spread beyond the city.

“She really won’t stop until she takes over the world, huh?” Tara inquired.

“I don’t know if she even looks at it like that,” Vivian replied.

Tara was about to ask about that, but the ground beneath them quacked harshly. They jumped back just in time; Tara marveled at how light she felt and how much higher she could jump in the new suit. They just missed being hit by a raising bunch of cables and wires in the shape of a giant snake. The creature rose to a height that dwarfed the buildings around them. It then spread a hood, as if it was a monstrous cobra. 

“Look at the size of that thing!” Tara gasped. And then she remembered what she saw Kim do in her new suit. She smirked. “I bet I could take it!”

“Be careful. She’s getting stronger by the day and it’ll show in the strength this thing,” Vivian said. 

Tara did not respond, lowering her pink protective visor of her crimson helmet as she charged into battle. She aimed her fist at the creature and a dozen needles fired from the top part of her wrist. They exploded on impact, which impressed the hell out of Tara since they never did that before. She fired a few more shots for good measure and the cable-cobra hissed as if in pain as smoke covered the area.

“I am just too good,” Tara boasted, blowing on her knuckles and rubbing them against her chest. 

Suddenly, the snake came shooting out of the smoke, attacking with a mouthful of razor sharp, jagged teeth. The two Knight Sabers leaped back, thinking they escaped a close call. Tentacles blazed out of the snake’s body and snatched Tara right out of the air, slamming her into the torn apart street.

Vivian threw her arm out and her long blade formed from her armor, growing longer than the old blade and much sharper. She was about to go free Tara when more wire-worms shot out of the ground, wrapping around her, squeezing her like huge boas. 

“Vivian!” Tara called when she saw her one chance at rescue trapped worse than she was. It looked like they were in a bit of trouble.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the Knight Sabers have a little party… and it gets crashed.


	23. “My Band”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept. The concept comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title comes from a song by D12. 

 

23: “My Band”

As soon as Kim and Shego were done donning their new, sleek, and advanced hard suits, Betty had Felix fetch them a little surprise. A big grin appeared on Shego’s face when she saw what Felix had for her. She was never so thankful that a visor hid her face from view than in that moment. She doubted she would ever hear the end of things from Kim or Betty if they knew she was smiling. 

“A new motoslave?” Shego asked, unable to hide the awe in her voice. The large black and green bike looked like a million bucks to her and it was clear the new motoslave was just like their new suits, cutting edge and very advanced. She could not resist running her gloved fingers over it. Unbeknownst to her, Kim smiled at the child-like action.

“Well, someone did abandon the last one in a building,” Betty said dryly.

Shego snorted. “That wasn’t my fault. Besides, you probably would’ve had to make a new one anyway. Would the old one have worked with this suit’s interface?”

“Stop trying to sound more intelligent than you. For it to fit your suit, I had to tweak it a little,” Betty commented nonchalantly, shrugging to add to the effect.

Felix turned sharply. “A little?” He begged to differ. “This bike is way more than a little tweak…” He turned to Shego. “And way more than a bike!”

Shego nodded. “Just like this suit…” She took a breath. “It’s a Bebe, but it’ll become part of me, too,” she mumbled, sounding just a little disgusted. Her skin crawled, but she knew what she had to do. She would never be able to let go that these things were Bebes and no matter how much they assisted her, she would always hold onto a little hatred for them. They deserved it as far as she was concerned.

“It will,” Felix confirmed with a grim nod.

Shego nodded again and then turned to Kim. “Shall we ride?” she asked in a cocky attitude, thumb pointing toward the bike. 

“I thought you’d never ask!” Kim replied and it was quite clear the fiery redhead was grinning behind her helmet.

Shego mounted the bike and Kim got on behind her. They were off without a word to the two mechanics. Betty and Felix looked at each other and then shrugged. There was nothing they could do now.

The motoslave holding the two Knight Sabers blazed down the dark, deserted streets of Go City, disturbing debris of the once-state-of-the-art highway system. “So, you want to tell me about why you ran off?” Kim asked. 

Shego’s response was to pop a wheelie. Kim could not help letting out an excited squeal. Shego laughed as she pushed the bike ever faster. Kim turned her head, taking in a plume of smoke in the distance. She pointed out there.

“I bet that’s them!” she informed Shego. 

“Way to go, Captain Obvious. What was your first clue?” Shego remarked, turning the bike to get off at the next exit.

“Yeah, if it was so obvious, why weren’t you going to head that way?” Kim countered smugly.

Shego was about to retort, but she noticed something a little more important that required her attention. In front of them were several Bebes, complete with glaring red eyes and elongated, pointy teeth. The Bebes hissed in their direction as they approached.

“Hold on, Princess! This might get a little tricky!” Shego could not help howling as she let loose her side canon, blowing a hole in the wall of Bebes. Kim chuckled a bit because of Shego’s excitement with her new “toy,” but she made sure she had a tight grip on the pale woman.

“I guess this isn’t going to be typical ride through the city,” Kim commented as Shego fired another shot.

“For us, this feels typical enough,” Shego remarked. Kim could not argue that one.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian managed to cut her way out of the mass of cables and wires that had captured her, but Tara was still stuck to the main electronic beast. A thud echoed through the empty streets as Vivian touched down on the ground and turned her attention to a screaming Tara. Vivian saw what had Tara so freaked out. The worm-like collection of wires was fusing to Tara’s suit. 

“This is like the grossest thing ever!” Tara cried.

“Hold on, Tara! I’m coming,” Vivian promised, holding up her forearm blade and running at the creature. 

Vivian took a flying leap at the worm-like mass and was about to slice through with all of her might, but right before she was going to attack, Bebes crawled out of the worm. The Bebes moaned and shrieked like haunted ghouls as they tried to claw at Vivian. The older Knight Saber pulled back at the last second to avoid getting herself into another bad situation.

“Damn it!” Vivian hissed as she sliced through the Bebes attempting to take hold of her. 

As she retreated, Vivian decided to try a new approach with a new weapon. She let loose several sharp, spinning disks, shooting them out a compartment on her wrist. They cut through the beast, but not enough to do much. She cursed again as she landed.

“I can’t get close to this thing without a better plan. Now, where the hell can I cut this thing and stop it?” Vivian huffed. 

Using her suit’s scanners, Vivian did her best to determine the weak point on the snake-beast as it fused with Tara even more. Tara let loose another scream and Vivian took off with a speed that a bullet could only imagine. She sliced through the base of the worm as she ran by, but the beast filled in the cut just as quickly. And almost topping Vivian’s speed, two thick, dark grey and black cables went out after her. She cut through them, but another was launched at her even faster. She was barely able to counter that time, putting up her sword and cutting the cable in half. She was still pushed back by the force, sent into a skid, and she was only able to stop after sliding several yards. 

“I’ve got to cut through the bottom, but I don’t think this is going to be easy,” Vivian muttered to herself, trying her best to think. _This used to be easier years before the booze and the painkillers_.

If the worm could morph its body into tentacles at any point on its body, she was not sure how she was going to get close enough to cut through. Even if she could get close enough, she was not sure how she would be able to severe it before it was able to put itself back together.

“Vivian, do something! It hurts!” Tara called and then screamed again. The beast pulled her deeper into the bundle of wires and felt like it sliced deep into her skin, even though it was only penetrating her suit.

“Hang in there, Tara!” Vivian replied. She silently begged her supposedly-genius brain to come up with something on how to defeat the fierce creature. 

Vivian was about to spring into action, but thick cables shot up out of the ground behind her. They wrapped together, forming a snake-like beast just like the one that held Tara. The new monster went to work, taking Vivian’s feet out from under her and posed to grab her, looking to wrap her up as the other creature held Tara. Just as it was about to hold her, a blast came off from the distance and exploded against the worm, sending it into retreat. Vivian turned to see who had come to her rescue.

“Shego!” they both called, just a little shocked that Shego was coming to the rescue. They really expected Kim to be the first on the scene.

Vivian climbed to her feet as Shego drove up and they saw Kim was with her. Vivian was tempted to make a comment, but it was definitely not time for that. They all turned to the worm, seeing Tara was halfway pulled into the creature. 

“We need to cut the line at the base to get Tara out of that thing,” Vivian explained, pointing to where Tara was being held.

“Sounds simple enough,” Shego remarked.

“Good, then cover me,” Vivian replied and then she ran off.

“Wait!” Shego said and then she groaned. “Why the hell does she always take me seriously at the wrong time?” she wondered aloud, turning the bike to cover the boss.

A shot from the motoslave dispersed wires and any Bebes that were in Vivian’s way. Vivian’s forearm sword burst from her armor as she jumped into the air, scanning for the base of the worm. She grinned as she came down into a hole that the creature was coming out of. She cut into the base and was sprayed by a thick, midnight blue liquid that she reminded her of phlegm.

“Damn it, it’s got like a skin protecting the important parts!” Vivian realized and she tried to leap away, but the blue liquid spurted out more, covering her completely. She was yanked into the worm. _This is not my finest hour, which has been par for the course in the past few years_. 

“Vivian!” Kim shouted, jumping off of the bike.

“Kim!” Shego called now that the crazy redhead darted off on her own. 

Bebes suddenly poured down off of the surrounding buildings, separating the martial artists. Shego growled as she lost sight of Kim and then she turned her wrath into the Bebes, firing on them with her motoslave cannon. But, that was not enough to halt the wave of robots raining down on them. 

“Kim, be careful!” Shego shouted to the attacking Knight Saber.

“Worry about yourself!” Kim countered as she moved quickly, trying to finish the job Vivian started.

The older Saber scoffed, but turned her attention to the attacking Bebes while hoping Kim did her thing with the intelligence she usually did. Kim dipped and ducked Bebes coming at her like she was a professional running back. She kicked and punched whatever machine was foolish enough to get in her way, easily making it to the worm. She showed a new weapon on her suit — a forearm sword, just like Vivian’s, but not quite as long. 

“Oh, that’s nice,” Kim muttered and then she realized the weapon was not totally complete. A charge ran through it, heating up the blade. Kim smirked. “I think this’ll get the job done.”

Kim leaped into the air and pulled her arm back, ready to take out the worm and free her teammates. As she was about to cut into the beast, it shot cables out at her. She easily dodged. 

Bebes came up behind Kim, trying to grab her. She cut through them, but could not focus on what was happening with the worm since there were Bebes on all sides of her. Cables came out of the creature and yanked Kim into the fray with the other Knight Sabers.

“Damn it, Kimmie! I can’t you anywhere!” Shego huffed when she saw what happened to the redhead. 

“Excuse me, some of us don’t have a freaking cannon backing us up!” Kim retorted.

“Damn it, I’m going to put you two on timeout the second Shego gets us out of this!” Vivian remarked. 

“Yeah, that’s real incentive to get me moving,” Shego commented sarcastically, continuing to beat off killer robots.

“Shego!” Kim hollered. She was about to scold the biker, but she knew that would only make Vivian say something else. Besides, it was time to be serious. Tara was almost lost inside the worm, after all.

Shego snorted, but did not say anything further as more Bebes surrounded her. A growl came from the Knight Saber, sounding ominous, but the robots continued to come. Shego made a fist, clutching her bike controls tightly.

“You want a piece of me? Fine, let’s have it!” Shego declared, showing off a new item added to her motoslave. The motoslave transformed, adding to Shego’s hard suit by becoming armor on top of her armor. “Now, let’s have some fun!” Her hands ignited and she went to work. 

“Tara, how’s it going?” Kim inquired, noting Tara was surprisingly quiet for something that she discovered was very painful. It was like getting cut with a razor blade.

Tara groaned. “I’m trying to hang in there…” she answered weakly.

“Keep on doing that. Shego’ll get us out this soon enough,” Kim promised.

Shego worked to get closer to her teammates. She moved with her motoslave armor on as if it had been with her since birth, knowing exactly how to control it and what to do. She put her hands out, firing from the bike cannon and also plasma from the palms of her hands, dropping several Bebes at once. She flipped into several kicks, bombs from her suit going off on impact with the robots. She could not watch all of her sides, though, and the worm wasted no time spending a cable out, looking to take her in with her teammates.

“Shego!” all of the Knight Sabers called and the cable paused long enough for Shego to turn, flinging a Bebe to the cable. It was taken in her stead. 

“Damn it!” Shego hissed, feeling like she was getting nowhere. The Bebes kept coming and she could not cover all sides with just herself.

“Vivian, why did that cable stop?” Kim asked, thinking it was weird that the creature hesitated just when it was about to have them all. 

“I think we influenced it. It’s fusing with us, making us part of it, so now it has to deal with our wills, just like our suits,” Vivian reasoned. “Shit! Ladies, we’re going to overpower this thing from the inside, so Shego can handle it from the outside!”

“Spankin’! Tara, you’re with that?” Kim asked, hoping to just get some sign that her dear friend was still alive.

“Anything to get me out of this,” Tara answered with a weak groan. It was clear she was fading. Her teammates could practically feel it, which disturbed Kim and Shego just a little bit. Vivian was not surprised by it.

“Okay, we have to be focused and know we will overpower this thing!” Vivian informed her team. “Shego, when the worm freezes, hit it with everything you have!”

“You don’t have to worry about that!” Shego declared, holding up a glowing fist. Her plasma danced halfway down her forearm, which was definitely new for her. She suspected somehow the suit was fueling her plasma.

With the plan in mind, it only took a moment before the worm roared and went straight up like a rod. Shego knew that was her cue, but her teammates called her name just in case she did not know. Shego flew at the worm, going up to the top and dropping down the center. She slid down the thing as if it was a weird amusement park ride before she saw a flashing light that she knew was her target. She made a tight fist, her knuckle-bombs spun on her gloves, getting ready to strike. As soon as her weapons, including her plasma, impacted the core, an explosion sounded, shaking the buildings around them and blowing the whole thing apart.

The captive Knight Sabers went flying uncontrollably as the whole monster burst like a balloon. Kim and Vivian were able to gain control in the air, but Tara was too drained. Kim zipped and caught the other teen before she ended up face-planting onto the pavement. They gathered a few yards away from the impact sight and could not help scoffing as they watched Shego walk out of the inferno of burning wires like bullets could bounce off of her… well, in her hard suit, they would.

“This part of the Dragon Line might be out of service for a while,” Shego declared.

-8-8-8-8-

“Cheers!”

The Knight Sabers, Betty, and Felix all raised their glasses, celebrating their recent victory on the high and mighty Dragon Line. They all clanged their glasses together and took drinks. Betty looked off by the end of the room and noticed something.

“Will, come over here and join us,” Betty beckoned the butler over with a slight movement from her fingers. 

“Is it really all right?” Will inquired, stepping out of the shadows and over to the others.

“Yes,” Betty assured him. 

Will nodded a bit. “It’s good to see you again, sir.”

“Thanks for everything, Will,” Betty said, handing him a drink. Vivian smiled a bit when Will accepted the glass.

All of the younger people knew they missed something, but they did not feel like asking about it right now. They just wanted to celebrate, feeling like they won a major victory by still being alive and slowing down Bonnie’s plan to spread her will through out the whole city. 

“Believe me, sir, it was no problem. I always considered it an honor to have this task and Miss Vivian has always made me feel welcomed,” Will informed Betty.

The mechanic nodded. “She’s always been like that. Will, are you sure you don’t want to leave? We’re the only ones left in Go City. You don’t have to stay with us.”

Will grunted, almost like he was insulted. “I know, sir, but I vowed to serve my life under you. Unless you order me to leave, I’m here with you and watching out for Miss Vivian.” 

Betty smiled a little and clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re a good agent, Will, but an even better man. I wish things had turned out differently for us, but thank you for watching over Vivian for me.”

“I told you, sir, it wasn’t a problem,” Will stated before taking a sip of his drink.

Betty nodded again. Vivian smiled, happy to see glimpses of the old Betty, the one who had hopes and dreams. She silently prayed when everything was over, she could get that Betty back. She would also try to change herself, knowing they needed to heal if they wished to survive. 

Vivian glanced around her living room, checking on the younger folks. She noticed Kim and Shego eased themselves away from the group to the back of the room, leaning against the bar. Felix and Tara were on the couch. Felix was offering Tara sandwiches that he made for everyone.

“I figured everyone would be hungry when they got back, so I made these,” Felix explained about the tray of neat, varied sandwiches he held. It made him feel useful.

“Thanks. I’m famished!” Tara answered, grabbing the top sandwich and taking a big bite.

Felix smiled as he watched her eat. He refilled her drink; they were having soda now. Tara smiled her thanks to him as she finished off her sandwich. She glanced over at Shego and Kim, noticing how close they were and away from everyone else. 

“You think there’s something going on between those two?” Tara asked, nodding toward the martial artists.

Felix nodded. “To hear my aunt tell it, they’re going through some weird, sadistic form of foreplay.”

Tara chuckled a little, thinking Vivian might be right. It seemed like the pair had calmed down, though. They looked like they were having a civil conversation for once.

“So, your parents are willing to put up with my brothers leaving town to stay with them, but they didn’t mind you staying?” Shego asked Kim with an arched eyebrow. “That’s a little weird.”

Kim shrugged. “My parents know me. They know I wouldn’t be in this situation without trying to help as much as possible. While they don’t know I’m a Knight Saber, they do know I’m going to try to help until I know I can’t help anymore.” 

“Sounds like you all right. You always been like this?” Shego inquired with a smirk, as if teasing.

Kim scratched her forehead a little. “Pretty much. You always been like this?”

Shego shrugged. “Pretty much.” She had a feeling Kim might want to dig a little deeper and she really was not in the mood for that right now. After all, they were supposed be celebrating, so she changed the subject. “Hey, you wouldn’t happen to remember what we were doing before Felix interrupted our time in the trailer, would you?” she asked with a sly smile on her face.

Kim blinked hard and then blushed. A wicked grin spread across Shego’s face, letting the redhead know she was blushing. She was not about to give Shego the complete satisfaction of knowing she got to her, so she had to respond quickly.

Olive eyes rolled. “Nah, you’re not that important.”

Shego let loose a mock-growl. “Not that important, am I?” She leaned in closer, but paused as she realized this might go a little further than she wanted with an audience not even ten feet away. She pulled back. “I’ll remember that if you ever want to pick up where we left off.”

Kim smirked a bit, as if calling Shego’s bluff. “Maybe I will if you want to tell me what made you run off in the first place.”

Shego snorted, but did not say anything, turning to look at the other members of their team. She was not surprised to see Vivian and Betty so close together, Vivian’s hand on Betty’s arm. She felt a little stupid for not being able to see it before, but whenever Betty was around, Vivian often touched her and it was not the usual playful touches she teased the Knight Sabers with. Vivian’s mood always seemed to improve just a little when Betty was around, too. _Stupid_.

Shego shook that away, feeling no need to dwell on that. It did not matter. Whatever she thought was there clearly had been overtaken a long time ago by something else, something she had a chance with. Her eyes drifted to the other pair among them. Tara and Felix were smiling at each other and ate sandwiches together. They were cute.

“This is really fun,” Felix commented, eyes scanning the “party” once more.

“It is,” Tara confirmed. It was nice to just be around her teammates and being alive.

Felix rested his hand on her leg. She glanced down, but did not say anything because it did not seem like he noticed his actions. She noted the area he touched was warm and made her want to smile.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun recently. Not since my accident anyway…” he muttered.

“Accident?” she echoed. “You mean… the one that… um…” She glanced away.

“The accident that should’ve been fatal. I’ve lost some memories from then, but I don’t mind talking about it. I don’t want to think about it right now, though. I just want to enjoy this moment,” Felix said in a low voice.

Tara regarded Felix with worried eyes. There was just something in his voice and the way his eyes seemed to mist over that bothered her. She gulped, but made sure it was very quiet, so as not to alert Felix.

Felix suddenly blinked. “I need to go do something right now.” He moved to leave without even explaining further. Tara rushed after him. The party continued on, but Vivian noticed the pair leaving.

“What are they up to?” Vivian wondered, but she chose not to pursue the duo, just in case they needed privacy.

Not long after that, Vivian and Betty eased their way out of the room. Betty wanted to talk in private. They settled into a dimly lit room and Betty shut the door behind them. Vivian smiled for a moment until she took in the serious expression on Betty’s face.

“Viv, what’re you going to do now? The city’s empty and they’re bringing in the army. Staying here any longer is putting you and those kids in danger,” Betty pointed out.

“I can’t make them leave, you know that. I can’t leave either. You know that,” Vivian answered.

Betty nodded. “Why?” she asked, her voice just shy of begging.

“I have to stop Bonnie and I also need to learn more about our suits. I think we might have actually done it this time,” Vivian replied with a proud grin.

“How the hell can you say that with a smile?” Betty demanded, causing Vivian to yelp and take a step back. “Don’t you care about all the people this has already hurt?”

Blue eyes flashed with anger and then moistened quickly. “How could you say that? You know how much I’ve lost to this! But, you also know how much this could benefit mankind!”

The one-eyed woman flinched, realizing how callous she was being. She stepped closer to Vivian and took Vivian into her arms. This caused Vivian to yelp once more in surprise and she was pretty puzzled by the gentle way the mechanic held her.

“I’m sorry for that. I had no right. I think I’m just irritable because I’m trying to cut down on the drinking now and I don’t want anything to happen to you or them. I’m going to try to get better,” Betty murmured into Vivian’s ear.

Vivian nodded, burying her face in Betty’s neck. The mechanic held her tighter and Vivian caressed her back. Vivian did not want to say anything to spoil the moment, but she thought it needed to be said. 

“This is how you used to hold me…” Vivian whispered.

“Yeah?” Betty leaned down a little and took the blonde’s chin gently in her hand. “Is this how I used to kiss you?”

Vivian did not get a chance to respond because Betty captured Vivian’s lips with her own. Vivian moaned as her eyes closed and she clung to the mechanic. A tear slid down her cheek.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara was with Felix, who was seated in front of the computer. Tara busied herself looking around a room she had seen a million times. She did not want to bombard Felix with a bunch of questions, so she felt this would keep her occupied. The tactic worked for less than a minute.

“So, whatcha doing?” Tara asked as she bounced behind him. She stared at the screen for a moment, but found Felix’s intense look of concentration far more interesting.

“Backing up the system,” Felix answered.

Tara nodded. “Manually? Doesn’t the system do that automatically?” she asked, even though she knew. She was the one that installed that bit.

“I want to make sure everything is protected from Bonnie. I figure since I’m connected to her in a way, then I know her best and I know how to best protect everything from her,” he reasoned. 

Tara nodded to show that she understood. “Good thinking.”

“I want to do these things while I still have a chance.”

Tara gulped, not liking the way he sounded when saying that and not liking the distant look in his eyes. He hinted at something she did not want to think about right now. She just wanted to enjoy the moment, like he did, so they both decided to enjoy the moment in silence.

-8-8-8-8- 

Bonnie sat in her room, gazing out of her window and smiling into the night. The dark sky was illuminated by the full moon while Bonnie’s room glowed with a more unnatural blue hue coming from the orbs floating around her. She turned to one of the orbs and smiled, looking much like a demon. She whispered to it and then turned her attention back to the window.

Outside, off in the distance, the Dragon Line rose from its grave underneath the city. It stood like a giant beanstalk going to the heavens, waiting for someone to have the nerve to try and climb it. It let out a mighty roar, which seemed to have woken its other half as another cable shot out of the ground. The cables turned and faced each other.

Bebes all over the city started moving around, shifting as if they were all coming to attention. They formed ranks, standing shoulder-to-shoulder and facing toward, glowing eyes looking out into the distance, into the near future. As the ranks swelled, filling streets and going as far as the eye could see, the robots began to march.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian shot up out of bed, sweat causing her body to glow as she panted. She scanned the room with panicked eyes, holding the sheet to her nude chest. Nothing caught her immediate attention and, for a moment, she considered she might have just had a horrible nightmare that she immediately forgot upon waking. Still, she eased out of bed, grabbing her robe from the floor.

Her heart pounded as she tied the knot around her waist to secure her robe. She glanced longingly at the bed and the unconscious body still occupying it. She smiled a bit.

“Almost like old times…” she muttered. In fact, it was exactly like old times when she had a nightmare because she was going to get a glass of water to settle her nerves and then cuddle back into that knocked-out body in bed.

Stepping out into the living room, Vivian saw they had all left the place a mess. There were empty alcohol bottles and glasses everywhere. She considered their little celebration might have gotten out of control because it looked like they had all just won the lottery, but all they really did was delay something she knew was coming.

She almost laughed when she saw Will was sleeping against the wall, like a soldier waiting for an enemy. His commitment to Betty always touched her heart, even though she suspected some of the loyalty stemmed from a crush he had on the mechanic. No matter the source, she recognized that Will was one of the best people in her life and also in Betty’s life, so she would always be glad for him. 

As she made her way through the room, she also caught sight of Kim and Shego. The pair was on the couch, leaning into each other. She doubted they fell asleep that way since they would never show such intimacy in front of someone, even someone like Will. So, she suspected their bodies just gravitated toward each other, which would not surprise her in the least. It was obvious to her that they were very drawn to each other.

“I wonder where Felix and Tara went…” she whispered to avoid waking any of the sleeping bodies in the room.

Before she made her way to the mini-fridge behind her bar, she felt the urge to go look outside. She marched over to the glasses doors that led out into her huge rooftop garden. The sky was dark from the full moon being hidden by a thick cloud roaming by. A tanned arm came around Vivian’s satin-covered shoulders. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” Betty asked, pulling Vivian to her body. She was dressed in a dark blue tank top and matching boxer shorts.

“No, I thought it was nightmare that woke me up, but now I know it’s that girl. She’s up to something. I can feel it,” Vivian answered. 

Betty nodded. “Who would’ve thought using yourself in an experiment like that would come in so handy.”

For a moment, everything was silent. “It scared you, didn’t it?” Vivian asked in a low tone. 

“It still scares me. I know what you were trying to do and what you still want to do, but the risks will always scare me because it means I could lose you,” Betty explained, pulling Vivian even closer to her. She never wanted to let this woman go.

“No matter how deeply I’m connected to that girl or any other Bebe, I promise I’ll never leave you,” Vivian vowed. 

Vivian turned a bit, wanting to look into the remaining obsidian eye of her lover. She eased closer to Betty, drifting in for a kiss. Betty recognized the move and bent a little to meet the blonde’s mouth. Just as they were about lock lips, a loud metal clang slammed against the reinforced glass doors, causing the couple to jump. Thankfully, the door did not give way. They turned and found themselves staring eye-to-glowing-red-eye with a Bebe. The robot let loose a chilling scream.

“A Bebe?” the couple gasped.

“Where the hell did that thing come from?” Betty added, subconsciously moving herself in front of Vivian. Just then, an alarm sounded through the building, like a shrill smoke detector.

“What the hell is that?” Shego grumbled as she hopped up from the couch, almost snatching Kim up with her. Kim was up a second later, though, looking around, eyes alert, even though her mind was still partially asleep. 

“What’s that noise?” Kim inquired.

“It’s the alarm,” Will answered calmly as he climbed to his feet. 

“Of course, because a good night’s sleep would’ve been too much to ask for,” Shego mumbled, scratching her head.

“You’re grouchy when you’re taken from sleep. I’ll have to make a note of that,” Kim commented.

A grin spread across Shego’s weary face. “And you’re honest and uninhibited when taken from yours. I’ll have to make a note of that,” she countered.

Kim glared, but Vivian cut in before they could start up. “Let’s move!” the boss ordered. They all knew where she wanted to go, so they start moving.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara shot up from sleeping on the computer console as she heard the alarm blaring. She muttered Felix’s name, but did not get an answer. She turned to where she last saw him and he was still at the computer keyboard, eyes glued to the screen. But, there was a blank look in his eyes, as if he was unconscious with his eyes open. 

“Felix!” Tara gasped and she reached out to shake him.

Felix blinked several times and turned to her. “Tara? What’s going on?” he inquired, looking around because of the noise. 

“There are Bebes on the roof!” Vivian reported as she marched into the room with Betty right behind her.

“Bebes?” Tara gasped as everyone else entered the room.

“Yes, Bebes. Can you get us up-to-date on the situation?” Vivian demanded. Tara nodded and pulled her chair up to the computer console. She opened another window on the wide screen that did not disturb what Felix was doing.

“What the hell is going?” Shego huffed, a deep frown cutting across her face.

“There are Bebes on the roof,” Vivian repeated.

“Not just the roof! They’re in the building!” Tara informed everyone, eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at the screen.

“What do you mean in the building? I thought this place had the best security ever!” Kim stated.

Vivian rushed over to the console and started her own search along side Tara. “It does have the best security, so I don’t see how the hell they’re getting in here. It definitely shouldn’t be this easy! I have a harder time getting in when I have my keys!” Pictures from the cameras around the building came up and showed nothing out of the ordinary. “There’s nothing there!”

Tara was not swayed from her screen. “I don’t care what the cameras say! The sensors are going nuts, showing signs of Bebes everywhere! They’re already in the shop!”

“Damn. Then shut down the building from above us,” Vivian ordered, still gazing at the camera screens in confusion. Bringing her thumb to her mouth, she bit down on the nail, trying to figure out what was going on. 

“Holy shit! I shut the whole thing down, but they’re still coming!” Tara screamed in a panic, typing furiously, trying to find her mistake. As she thought, she did not do anything wrong, but they were still coming.

“This doesn’t make any sense! There’s nothing on the cameras!” Vivian snarled. “Where the hell are they if they’re in here?”

“Maybe it’s a glitch,” Shego offered.

“There’s no glitch in this system! I updated it myself!” Tara huffed, facing twisting from the perceived insult. “This doesn’t make any sense! They’re getting in here and moving downward with no damn problem!” She tugged at her hair for a moment because of the frustration.

Before they could get a hold as to what was going on, the floor shook with a violent rumble, throwing everyone to the floor. They each grabbed something to steady themselves. After several seconds, the shaking halted and everyone climbed back to their feet. 

“The hell? Was that an earthquake?” Shego wondered aloud.

“A natural earthquake in Go City?” Will countered. 

“They’ve been known to happen, but it’s more the fact that it could be an unnatural earthquake that concerns me,” Betty commented.

“Oh, no!” Tara gasped. “They’re still coming! They’re on the floor right above us! They’ll be here any second!” 

Everyone turned their attention to the door, waiting for a mass of Bebes to burst into the room. Shego ignited her hands while Will and Betty both adjusted bands on their wrists. Kim crouched into a fighting stance. They all felt like they were as ready for war as they were going to be without proper weapons or hard suits.

“What the hell? This stupid thing says they’re already here!” Tara reported, brow furrowing in total confusion. Okay, it was official — nothing made sense. 

“Tara, there’s nobody here!” Shego barked.

“No duh! I’m telling you want the computer is telling me!” Tara countered. 

Vivian was about to say something, but all words disappeared from her brain as her eyes finally understood the situation. Her mouth hit the floor and her eyes went wide. Shego noticed the expression and turned around to see what Vivian was looking at. The wall to the room was actually thick glass that displayed the fish in Vivian’s massive swimming pool, but Shego was not looking at the tropical fish. A Bebe stared at them, crawling at the glass. Tara noticed and screamed at the top of her lungs.

“They’re coming in from the pool!” Kim gasped. 

Shego cut her eyes to Vivian. “Brilliant design to put a fucking pool on the roof that runs the whole goddamn building. Remind me to kick your ass when we get to Hell!” 

The robots poured down to the bottom of the pool like large stones. They continued to scratch at the glass. Unknown to the humans trapped inside, on the roof there was a large army of Bebes, each stepping into the pool one after another in large rows. It looked like the lines never ended.

“You just had to have a pool, didn’t you?” Shego commented, forcing out a bit of a laugh as she got into her own fighting stance. Everyone, except Felix, mimicked her move, getting into their own ready positions.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: there are Bebes on the roof and they wanna get in. But, they might not be after what the team thinks they’re after.


	24. “Last Resort”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept. The concept comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title comes from a song by Papa Roach.

 

24: “Last Resort”

Everyone was tense for a moment, watching Bebes sink to the ground floor of the building. A Bebe banged on the glass wall, causing a low thud to echo through the quiet room. When the banging did nothing, the Bebe started scratching at the clear barrier. Others followed, clawing at the window, chasing away the fish that lived in the pool. It looked like the glass might hold for a little while.

“Shego, Kim, Tara, let’s go,” Vivian ordered and the ladies ran off without another word.

Betty went the control panel, getting everything ready for the Knight Sabers to change. Vivian paced the floor, biting her thumb on one hand while the other hand worked to free her from her robe. The others watched her for a moment, just in case she had a mood swing.

“I don’t understand. Why the hell is Bonnie coming after us now? Why is she trying to take the building now?” Vivian wondered aloud, eyes moving frantically as she tried to think of the logic behind it.

“Hey, you can write a thesis on that after we get out of this one alive!” Shego barked, tearing her shirt off, not caring that she would never be able to wear it again. The harsh words were just what Vivian needed to hear because they caused her to get in gear.

Kim and Tara were not as quick to undress as Shego and Vivian was. This was mostly because they had on more than a robe and they could not tear out of their clothes. A loud bang distracted them and all eyes turned to the glass window at the top of the Pit’s wall. Bebes clanged on that glass, too. Kim actually covered herself while Tara stopped undressing completely.

“Princess, you don’t have anything they want to look at. Tara, you don’t have anything to see, anyway,” Shego teased them with a devilish smirk. They glared at her.

“Hey, hurry up! That window isn’t going to hold forever!” Betty hollered.

Shego was about to make a comment in regards to getting Betty a drink, but Vivian pushed her toward the suit shells, so she held off. She and Vivian climbed into the shells. Betty hurriedly attached the inner metal hose and the thick, oozing grey substance began to pour.

As soon as Shego and Vivian donned their suits, Kim and Tara were in their shells to get their inner metal poured. Kim hissed and bit her tongue as the metal touched her still-healing wounds. Vivian stepped in front her, drawing the redhead’s attention to her.

“Kim, forget about the pain. You have to remind the suit what’s in your heart and what you need to work together to do. Don’t think about anything beyond your good intentions and what you both need to do,” Vivian quietly instructed the younger woman.

Kim nodded, closing her eyes and effectively putting any pain out of her head. There was a job to do and she would do it, as always.

-8-8-8-8-

Felix and Will watched the glass as the Bebes continued to try to claw and smash through it. Felix glanced at the computer console, checking the gauges. He shook his head.

“That glass isn’t going to hold much longer,” he reported.

“We’ll make it out of it,” Will replied with thick confidence as he attached a device to his wrist.

Before Felix could comment on the integrity of the glass again, the building started to shake. Will stumbled a little from the heavy rumbling and both young men looked around. They wondered what could be causing the building to move like that.

“The last time I checked, Go City wasn’t on any fault lines, but for some reason it keeps having something that seems like an earthquake,” Felix muttered. “I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.”

Will nodded as the doors whooshed open. The Knight Sabers rushed in with Betty. They quickly scanned the room to see if anything changed since they left a few minutes ago. The glass to the wall certainly had seen better days.

“They’re going to get through in a second,” Vivian predicted. “Aside from Felix, who can’t swim?”

“Uh…” Tara raised her head, earning looks from her comrades-in-arms. “What? My father’s idea of teaching involved throwing me into the deep end of the pool!”

“Mine too, yet it worked,” Shego replied, smirk clear as day in her voice.

“Well, I’m not crazy like you. I, like any other person, sank and almost drowned!” Tara said.

“Guys, just be ready to swim for it when that glass breaks,” Vivian ordered.

As soon as the words left her mouth, cracking sounds echoed through the room as the marks in the glass spread beyond the hands of the Bebes. Water spurted in before the see-through barrier completely shattered, flooding the room with water, fish, and murderous Bebes.

The crew did not bother with trying to fight off the Bebes. They were only interested in clearing a path for themselves. Kim grabbed Tara, taking the lead and rushing into the pool. They fired on any Bebes that dared to come close while Betty and Will came in after them. Vivian grabbed onto Felix’s wheelchair, but Felix shook his head.

“It’ll just slow us down,” Felix pointed out.

“But—” Vivian tried to protest.

“I know, but it’ll be hell trying to get it up the length of the building,” Felix argued.

“Could you two stop arguing, so we can just get the hell out of here!” Shego barked, punching a Bebe that got too close. Her plasma-charged fist went through its head with no problem.

Vivian turned to glare at Shego for butting in on a family matter, even if the helmet was in the way. She knew Shego got exactly what she was doing. It was a mistake to move her attention, though, because as soon as she did, Felix was out of his chair, stumbling into her. A small groan escaped the boy as he hit against his aunt.

“Felix…” Vivian muttered.

“Let’s go,” Shego ordered, noticing the sheer determination in Felix’s eyes.

Vivian was still set to argue, but an attacking Bebe shut her mouth, drawing her attention. She aimed her arm and her sword shot out with ripping speed, continuing on right through the Bebe’s head. Vivian flicked her wrist, dragging the blade upward and through the robot before the sword was sheathed back into her forearm. After that, she grabbed Felix and leaped into the water. Shego was right behind the pair.

Protection came from above, shots coming from Kim and Tara to keep the Bebes from catching Vivian, Felix, and Shego. The trio rushed to the top with Shego pausing only to hit any Bebe that managed to get close. Once they were all safely at the top, they took a look around gasped at what they saw.

“What the hell?” Shego said, taking the words out of everyone’s mouths.

The entire building was covered in wires and cables, looking like tree roots wrapped around the structure. Occasionally, tubes pulsed and quivered. It was almost like the building was infected, which it was. The building was infected with the Phenomenon. Bonnie now possessed the Knight Saber HQ and Vivian’s home.

“So… is everyone all right?” Vivian asked, trying to keep her voice calm, but disgust worked its way out of her throat.

“What the hell is going on?” Tara screamed, scanning the area to see it was not just their building that was infected.

Everyone else looked around, seeing what Tara meant. As the sun climbed slowly into the sky, it shined down on the new Mega-Go City. None of them were totally sure what they were looking at. The city looked like a jungle of wires and cables, wrapped around and under the frames of buildings, cars, street lamps, and everything other mechanical device. Bebes roamed in gangs and none of them were in their original forms anymore.

The Bebes had transformed into all sorts of things. Some looked like animals, others like giant insects, and even a few took on the appearance of plants. Others took on forms of nightmares and fantasies. It was clear who ruled the city. Apparently, Bebes had inherited the Earth.

“It’s like being on another planet…” Kim muttered in disbelief.

“She didn’t target us,” Vivian realized. “She devoured the whole city…”

A rumbling took their thoughts from the Bebes to the foundation of the building. The tremors were powerful enough to knock Tara off of her feet. They all had a feeling this was no earthquake, so they quickly moved to get off of the roof. Tara hopped up and grabbed Felix before flying off. Vivian took Betty and Kim snatched up Will. As soon as they were in the air, large cables shot out of the roof and then tunneled back into the building.

“Gross! It looks like the place has ring worms!” Tara commented, watching as the building continued to change.

“Your building was on the Dragon Line, wasn’t it?” Betty asked Vivian.

“I think so, but from the looks of this, it seems as if her phenomenon is expanding well beyond the Dragon Line. That was just a starting point,” Vivian replied. Betty could only nod. They all wondered where the ending point was going to be.

-8-8-8-8-

Drakken groaned from his perch and opened his eyes. His entire body ached, feeling shredded and mutilated. He tried to move his arms and found he could not. He tried his legs and got the same result. He was able to move his head a little and discovered why nothing else would move.

“Bonnie, what have you done to me?” Drakken screamed in horror and anger. He was no longer a man, merely an ornament on the Gemini building, like a stone gargoyle. His head was on the end of long pike with metal and wires. “Bonnie! BONNIE!”

His cries went unanswered. Eventually, his onyx eyes looked outward, seeing Mega-Go City for the first time. He gasped, not sure what he was looking at. From his vantage point, he could see that most of the city was a mechanical wasteland, infected with Bonnie’s phenomenon, appearing almost like the innards of an animal. There were still pieces of the Go City he once knew, that he once wanted to rule, but it was clear Bonnie owned what was supposed to be his.

“Bonnie, what have you done? You monster! You ruined my dream!” Drakken hollered, tears flooding down his face.

Suddenly, Drakken felt himself being yanked backward. He released high-pitched yowl as the Gemini building seemed to swallow him whole. He expected to feel the pressure of being crushed, but was relieved that was not the case. Darkness engulfed him for only a few seconds and then he found himself face-to-face with Bonnie.

“You! What did you do to my precious city?” Drakken demanded, tears still flowing free.

Bonnie regarded him with a smile. “Why, doctor, you appear to be leaking.” Humans were strange creatures, so subpar they often seemed to damage themselves.

“What did you do to Go City?” he screamed at the top of his lungs, glaring at her as if she was the worst possible creature imaginable.

“Nothing you would understand, but do you see how small you are, doctor?” Bonnie asked. “Overnight, I have changed much of this city into perfection while you couldn’t do that in all of the years you’ve been alive. You’re nothing. I could destroy you with a wave of my hand.”

“Bonnie…” His teeth chattered and he swallowed hard.

She waved the idea off. “But, I have no intention of doing that yet. Right now, I want you to continue watching. You’ll soon realize how imperfect you and then I’ll relieve you of your miserable life.”

-8-8-8-8-

The Mobile Pit cruised through the remains of Mega-Go City with the Knight Sabers perched on top of the vehicle in case some of the new local fauna and flora decided to venture too close. Everywhere they turned bore witness to the extent of Bonnie’s power.

“It’s hard to believe one person could do all of this…” Kim muttered, standing next to Shego.

“How are we even supposed to stop this? No matter where we go, everything looks like this,” Tara commented, gesturing around them to a city that looked melted and fused to itself.

“I think I know where we can go,” Betty said, her voice coming through the Knight Sabers communication devices.

“Well, you’re driving,” Vivian pointed out, a smile in her voice.

“Vivian, about Felix…” Betty said.

“I know. Hopefully, he’ll be fine.”

Betty did not say anything, but the small exchange caught Tara’s attention. She turned to look at their leader. Vivian noticed, but she did not say anything. Tara was not too sure what she wanted to ask at first.

“Felix… he left his wheelchair,” Tara stated the obvious.

“He’ll be fine,” Vivian repeated, almost as much for herself as for Tara.

The blonds did not speak on the matter any further. The quiet vigil remained as Betty continued on driving. No one said anything even when they realized where Betty was taking them. A surprised gasp escaped both Tara, Kim, and Will of all people as deep green and sparkling blue came into view.

“Sir…?” Will said, turning to Betty with shock in his eyes.

Betty smirked a little. “I guess I am better when out of the alcoholic fog.”

Will only nodded, glad to see hints of the woman he admired shining through the one-time defeated mechanic. Betty drove the mobile Pit through the narrow streets of the park to the end of the road where there was sand and the crystal clear water of the ocean. The Knight Sabers leaped off of the roof as soon as the vehicle halted.

“Go City Park?” Shego muttered in confusion.

“It’s brilliant. Betty brought us to the one place where there wouldn’t be that many machines or metallic objects for the Bebes to fuse with,” Vivian stated.

“Shouldn’t there be cleaning Bebes around or something?” Shego inquired.

“No. When the phenomenon started, they all more than likely went into the city to find other Bebes to fuse with and transform,” Vivian explained.

Silence from the biker showed her acceptance of that explanation. The passengers of the mobile Pit climbed out, joining the Knight Sabers. Tara’s eyes caught Felix’s as she watched him moving under his own power. Before she could say anything about that, a rumbling in the bushes caught their attention. Everyone turned, on guard. The Knight Sabers had their hands up, ready to fight, and Betty and Will aimed their right wrists at the possible threat.

They inch their way closer to the bushes and take a look. On the ground, a scruffy looking man was shaking. The Knight Sabers and company breathed sighs of relief. Kim was the first person to notice that the man was obviously terrified.

“Sir—” Kim started to say, but she did not make it further than that word.

“BEBES!” the man hollered at the top of his lungs.

“Now, sir—” Kim tried again, but he just screamed over her.

Before the Knight Sabers could show him that they were not Bebes, or robots of any kind, more men showed up. They all carried sticks and bats, looking ready to rumble. Shego chuckled a little and cracked her knuckles.

“Don’t even think about it,” Kim ordered the biker.

“Aw, but Kimmie!” Shego feigned whining, even though she did not make a move toward the pack of men approaching them. The other Knight Sabers sighed. As long as Shego did not do anything crazy, they were sure they could get out of this situation without any mishaps or injuries.

-8-8-8-8-

“So, gentlemen, why are you still in the city? I do believe they started evacuating yesterday,” Vivian pointed out. She and the rest of her group sat in one of the clearings in the park area along with the crew of men that approached them a few minutes ago.

The Knight Sabers were now in street clothes, after having to prove they were human. The group of men had given the outfits to them. Vivian was practically being swallowed by plain white t-shirt and pants she needed roll at the waist a few times for them to stay up. Betty stuck close to her.

“For a while, we didn’t know what they were evacuating about. Sure, we knew what the news was saying, but the news says a lot of things that clearly aren’t true,” a middle-aged man, whose name they learned was François, replied.

“You got that right,” Shego chimed in. She lucked out and got some black sweatpants and a sleeveless t-shirt that almost fit. Needless to say, a few men had already been threatened for looking down her shirt. Kim had been caught, too, but Shego decided to just accept the stare and not start a big fight about it with the redhead.

“Still, you guys need to be out of here on the first thing smoking,” Betty remarked. The mechanic had on her own clothing since she kept a spare jumpsuit in the mobile Pit. She was thankful for that, not wanting anyone to see her in her pajamas.

“We figured that after we started looking around the city and saw how everything was changing. We ended up in the park just because as we kept moving we saw this was the only place untouched by the Bebes. Unfortunately, many of us didn’t even make it this far,” François continued.

“So, you’re just going to stay here?” Kim inquired. A sleeveless t-shirt had been given to her and she tied it in a knot at the bottom. Yes, it showed off her stomach, but she was used to that. It kept the shirt from dipping in the front too much, though. Maroon drawstring shorts that went down to her calves completed her outfit.

“We haven’t thought that far ahead,” François admitted.

“You can’t stay here. The city is slowly being taken. Soon, even this place will change.” Vivian motioned around the park with her index finger.

“You seem to know a lot about this,” François commented, giving her look. It seemed he expected her to go into detail.

“I could tell you stories,” Vivian quipped with a humorless smile.

“We have time,” he pointed out.

“I have a question,” Tara said. She actually had several, but she decided to ask one that would not sound too ungrateful — do you have a smaller shirt? — or too off-topic — why doesn’t Felix need his wheelchair? “How did you guys get this food?” she asked since they were passing around bagels and brewing coffee and tea. 

“We went out last night and grabbed all of these items while it was safe,” François answered.

“It’s clear you gentlemen have good survival instincts, but you still need to clear out of here eventually,” Vivian pointed out. 

No one disputed that fact, but they really did not want to think about that at the moment. It had been a trying day for everyone, so they mostly sat around and talked. As the day drew on and a chill picked up as the sun started to set, a fire was built. Some food — simple canned goods and junk food — were passed around for everyone to share.

Tara sat with Felix the whole time, wanting to ask about his wheelchair. She was not sure about a polite way to bring it up, but she could not let it go. A glance at Kim and Shego made her gather her courage. She was not sure what it was about the sight of the two of them, maybe it was knowing they were brave against everything, or maybe it was seeing they were a little more accepting of each other than before, but it made her ask.

“Felix…” Tara said, shifting a little, rubbing her back against the large tree against her back. 

“Yes?” he asked, sipping a soda and watching everyone else converse. 

“Why were you using the wheelchair when you don’t need it?” she asked, actually maintaining her usual speaking voice instead of speeding through the question or going through several different pitches.

Felix turned to Tara and gazed at her with warmth in his eyes. This made Tara smile a little until she could see there was sorrow behind that warmth. Her heartbeat was heavy in her chest and her throat tightened up just from the expression. 

“Tara…” he whispered her name like a prayer. “…I… the chair was very important… it helped… it helped… keep _her_ away…”

Tara’s forehead wrinkled for a moment. “Her?” 

“Bonnie’s pull to me will only get stronger now. The chair was built to help counteract her influence over me. The less I had to use the parts of me that were Bebes, the lower her call was to me. Now…” He just shook his head. “There’s nothing we can do about it, so let’s not think about it.” 

Tara was going to object, but Felix put his arm around her shoulders. He did not know how much time he had left, but he would enjoy it and be bold. This might be his only time to hold Tara, he thought, pulling her close to him. This might be his last night with Tara for all he knew. It took all of his willpower to not cry. 

She sighed, pressing into Felix’s side and savoring the moment. The sadness she knew was there remained and hung over them like a noose from the tree they were under. Still, it barely took a minute for her eyes to drift shut and she fell into one of the most peaceful sleeps she had ever had.

The next time Tara opened her eyes, she realized almost immediately she was not against Felix anymore. Glancing around, she saw he was not with the group anymore. As she climbed to her feet, she knew exactly where to find him. Chuckling to herself at his predictability, she walked off toward the Mobile Pit. She entered to an eerie sound of electric, ghostly laughter. 

“Felix?” she called in a low voice. She spotted him at the computer console with his back to her. She could tell the strange laughter was coming from him. “Felix…?” Her teeth chattered that time. 

Approaching slowly, Tara swallowed nervously when she was right behind Felix. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the computer screen to see something that looked like plain nonsense to her and this only added to her growing anxiety. Her heart felt like it was in her throat and in her feet at the same time. Her stomach did somersaults as she tried to remain calm.

Too scared to touch him, she leaned enough to look at his face. His eyes were wide without pupils and a dull grey that stared into nothing as he continued to cackle manically. A sky blue glow illuminated from his chest and caused a slight halo around him. Wires popping out of the computer burrowed into his hands, worming their way up his arms, and his hands appeared to be ready to type, but they did not touch the keyboard.

“Felix!” Tara shrieked.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim and Shego inched their way from the party, walking closer to the beach. They stared out to the Gemini building, a castle with an ocean moat protecting it. There, they would slay the evil dragon, they both thought. It got a chuckle out of them, which caused them to look at each other.

“You know, Princess, you should go back home now. I mean, there’s going to be nothing here once we send these clowns on their way,” Shego commented. Her voice did not hold her usual bite or sneer to it.

Kim smiled a little and shook her head. “You know I can’t do that. We’re a team. I’m here for you guys and we’re going to finish this. So, I’m not going anywhere, just like I know you’re not.”

Shego nodded. “You’re right about that. I’ve got a score to settle with this Pupa-Bonnie bitch.”

“Well, I’ll be here to help with that. We’re going to have to move soon. I saw on the news that the cavalry was lined out right outside of the city limits. The military is going to be coming in soon and they don’t know what they’re dealing with.”

“Hell, we don’t know what we’re dealing with,” the biker pointed out.

Kim chuckled and nodded. Before she could say anything more, they heard the sound of Tara screaming cutting through the warm night. They turned sharply, looking in the same direction as the Mobile Pit. Running off at the same time without a word to each other, the teammates got to the vehicle seconds after the shout echoed through the woods. They burst in just in time to see Tara reach for Felix’s shoulder and she was blasted with a volt of blue energy, throwing her to the floor.

“Tara!” Kim called, bolting over to the teen’s side. Shego stood back, taking in the scene while Vivian, Betty, and Will all came over, drawn by the same scream as the martial artists.

Felix turned, facing everyone with a glass-like look in his eyes and lines on his face that made him seem much older. He started speaking, but it was not his voice. “This one is mine. He belongs to me and you all know it. He is a part of me…”

Vivian gasped, eyes wide with tears and her hand went over her mouth. “Bonnie. Bonnie, no!”

Tara screamed again and started struggling against Kim. “NO! Give Felix back! Give Felix back to me! Give him back to me!” she cried, flailing and trying to claw her way over to the shell-of-a-boy.

“This boy is a Bebe. He is me. He will join us. He will become us. But, he contains so much false data…” Felix — or rather Bonnie reported.

Vivian gasped again. “No, don’t! Please!” she begged and Betty had to hold her back to keep her from rushing her nephew.

“What does that mean?” Shego asked, even though she could guess.

“Bonnie’s downloading her information into his brain and deleting all of his thoughts and memories! She’s taking his brain, wiping it clean, and turning it into her!” Vivian cried.

“NOOOOOO! Give Felix back!” Tara roared, managing to break free of Kim.

Shego frowned, knowing she was going to have to do something quickly or someone was going to get hurt. Before Tara could reach Felix, Shego stepped up to the computer console and saw how Felix was hooked up to it. She ignited her hands, and proceeded to pound on it like she was an ape that did not know how to use it.

-8-8-8-8-

The sun made its way into the sky, breaking the dawn in a bizarre silence. No birds, no insects, nothing except the sound of trucks rolling into the park. Shego and Kim sat outside of the Mobile Pit, watching the men they only got to know that night shuffle out of the park. The men were going to military transport units not too far from the park. The door to the Pit opened and Vivian stepped out, standing next to the martial artists.

“You know… you two can go, too,” Vivian said, trying her best to sound matter-of-fact about things. Green eyes glanced up at her before both fighters scoffed.

“Please, like your silly ass could get near Bonnie without us,” Shego replied.

“If anything, maybe Tara should stay behind with Felix,” Kim commented, eyes straying into inside of the Mobile Pit. She caught a glimpse of Betty watching over Felix, who stared into nothing. He was stiff as a board, sitting against the wall.

“I’m not staying behind,” Tara declared, stepping next to Vivian. “I’m going to go kick that bitch’s ass and get Felix back!” she proclaimed with ferocity. The fire in her voice and her colorful choice of words caught her teammates attention.

“Well, shit, if Tara’s talking like that, then I guess we need to kick that bitch’s ass!” Shego grinned.

Vivian blinked, as if in shock. “You’re all going to keep fighting?”

“You know we all have our reasons, Vivian, but it all boils down to us being a team. We’re going to stop Bonnie as a team,” Kim affirmed. There were nods all around and she smiled, putting her hand on Vivian’s shoulder. “You’re not alone in this,” Kim promised.

“None of us are,” Shego added in, earning a smile from Kim. The biker could not help smiling back.

“Then let’s do this as a team,” Vivian announced with a smile.

They wasted no time rushing into the Mobile Pit to get into the hard suits. Betty took care of them with great haste and they were gone just as fast. Betty watched them fly off while sitting next to Felix. She ran her hand through his short, soft hair.

“Don’t die yet, kid. You’ve got a beautiful blond waiting for you and I don’t mean your aunt,” Betty remarked as the team disappeared from sight.

The Knight Sabers rocketed toward the Gemini building without a word said between them. It was time to set siege to the castle, over the moat, and into the dragon’s lair. The closer they got to the island that was the Gemini headquarters, they noticed a dense blue fog wrapping around the structure.

“What’s with the weather?” Kim arched an eyebrow.

“That’s the Phenomenon. We’re going to have to stick close together or else it’ll devour us. Don’t lose your concentration and don’t let your will be dominated by what Bonnie wants,” Vivian warned her group.

“I’ll break that little bitch,” Shego declared with her usual cockiness.

The rock star blasted off ahead of them and smashed right into a field of sky-colored electricity. It formed a net-like wall in front of her as she collided with it. Her body was blown back several feet. 

“Shego!” Kim called out as the older fighter slammed into the ground.

“I’m okay…” Shego said, even though her voice sounded just a little slurred. The other Sabers landed behind her. 

“What the hell was that thing?” Tara wondered aloud and she started to scan it, hoping to find out. “Holy crap! That thing is a Bebe! It’s using nano-technology!” she reported in disbelief.

“Great, Bonnie is just the gift that keeps on giving,” Kim remarked.

“I’ll give it try first,” Vivian said and was off before anyone could stop her. Her sword shot out from her arm as she rushed the wall. A swipe from her blade did nothing but get her blown back to her teammates. “Damn it! We’re so close!” She threw up her arms, like she wanted to tear out her hair. 

“I’ve got an idea, but I think it’s actually best if we use Shego for it,” Kim proposed.

“I’m up for it if it’ll get us in there and I can bust this bitch’s ass!” Shego huffed, punching the ground.

“I figure if we throw Shego into the shield and she hits it with a plasma-charged knuckle-bomb, we might be able to break through. It should be enough energy to override whatever Bonnie working with,” Kim suggested. 

“Throw me?” Shego echoed and they all knew she craned an eyebrow to the notion.

“You’re going to need to go a lot faster than the boosters let you,” Kim pointed out.

Shego sighed and threw her hands up. “Fine, just call me the human slingshot,” she conceded. “But, you guys break my neck and I’m breaking your ass, especially you, Princess.” 

“Please, if this works, we all know you’ll be doing other things to Kim’s—” Vivian cut off before she could finish her jib.

“Don’t even start, blondie!” Shego snapped. “Just throw me, so we can finish this.” 

The other Knight Sabers nodded and went to work. Vivian and Kim went to opposite sides of Shego. Kim turned to the emerald-eyed Saber, wanting to say something, but not wanting to set Vivian up for another comment. Shego turned to the redhead, as if she sensed Kim wanting to say something.

“Be careful…” Kim said.

Shego chuckled. “Don’t worry. You know I have a hard head.”

Kim let out a weak laugh and both Sabers were surprised Vivian kept her comments to herself. They got a good grip on Shego, flew up, and then flung the angry biker into the nano-machines. Shego let loose a howling battle cry as she ignited her fist and cocked her hand back. The knuckle-bombs spun out of their home in her knuckles and she hollered louder as she planted her hand right into the wall.

The impact sounded like the whole planet was sizzling. Shego continued to scream, trying to force her hand through. But, after a few seconds, she found that she could not move her hand at all. 

“Son of a bitch!” Shego roared. “Gimme me fucking hand back!” she yelled and then did the very stupid thing of kicking at the nano-machines. Of course, her leg was trapped along with her arm now.

“Damn it,” Kim hissed and she took off for her teammate without thinking. It was not until she put her hand into the shield and found herself stuck did she realize what an idiotic impulse she just had.

“Fancy meeting you here, Kimmie,” Shego remarked with a little sneer in her voice. “You’ve had better rescue attempts, you know?”

“Keep trying me and next time I won’t even make the attempt,” Kim countered, lying through her teeth.

Vivian flew up to them, intent on cutting them free with her arm-sword. Little did she expect for the shield to capture her just through her sword. The only thing that made it more embarrassing was that Shego actually laughed at her. They were in a life-threatening situation and Shego had enough acceptance of that to laugh. 

Tara stood back, still on the ground. “What to do?” she shouted a bit, waving her arms.

“Try not looking like a crazy duck first of all!” Shego suggested.

Tara puffed out her cheeks and was about to yell something back at Shego for teasing her. That was halted when it sounded like someone said her name, but Tara knew no one did. It was like someone was calling her without talking.

-8-8-8-8- 

Betty made sure the suit shells and inner metal tubing was in working order when movement from the other side of the Mobile Pit flashed at the corner of her eye. At first, she thought it was just Will, but she knew he was out of her sight range. Turning her head, she saw Felix standing. There was a blue glow coming from his chest and his eyes looked almost clear.

“Auntie…” Felix whispered. 

“Felix?” Will said in a low voice, shifting a little in case he needed to approach the teenager.

Betty climbed to her feet. “Will, be careful. Don’t touch him just yet,” she warned him.

“Tara…” Felix said, loudly, almost as if he was calling out to her. Green lines began illuminating over his skin, almost like his veins were glowing. “Tara!”

-8-8-8-8- 

Across the bay, Tara jerked and looked around. “Felix? Felix, was that you?” The voice sounded like it was in her head, but it was so clear.

“Tara…” he replied, sounding so happy just to hear her voice.

“Oh, god, Felix, you still remember me?” Tears of joy flooded her eyes at the very thought of it. Bonnie had not overrode his memories or stolen all of him, it seemed. 

“Not so much remember… Bonnie has my memories. I feel, though. I feel Tara… around me, warming me, protecting me…” he explained as best he could.

“Felix…” she whimpered, shaking a bit. 

“The hell is she doing down there?” Shego asked, not hearing Felix like Tara did.

“I think she’s talking to Felix,” Vivian realized. 

“Well, I hope his plans are better than some people’s,” Shego remarked.

“Oh, yes, blame me when we’re a minute from death,” Kim deadpanned. 

Vivian ignored them. “Tara, what’s Felix saying? Is he all right?” she begged.

Tara was not paying her teammates any mind. “Felix…”

“Listen, Tara, I know you need help. I’m going to help. I’m connected with Bonnie now, part of her. I can confuse her if I send her this feeling. It’ll hit her just like any other impulse, but it’s nothing she’s used to. She won’t understand it and it’ll lower her defenses long enough for you to get to her,” Felix explained. 

“But… if you do that…” Tara swallowed the rest of the words. The tears continued to flow. Bonnie would eventually get over the feeling and take that away from him, too. She would lose all of him and he would lose what he had of her.

“I know. Tara, please, take care of our team. I feel… family from them. We’re family…” Felix reported in a calm tone. 

“We’ll save you, Felix. I promise. We’ll get your memories and your emotions back. We’ll be a family again,” she vowed, steeling herself to do the right thing and to believe she would get Felix back after all of this.

“All right. Be ready to move because she won’t be confused for long,” he warned her.

-8-8-8-8-

The green lines running up and down Felix’s body began to glow brighter. The room started vibrating and shaking, almost as if it was trembling from some amazing power within Felix. Will was about to approach him, but Betty grabbed the young man by the arm. She yanked him toward the door, sensing they needed to get out of there while they had the chance. Will did not resist her. 

“Is this okay… to let him do this?” Will inquired as they moved a few feet away from the Pit.

“We all have our duty, Will. We have to let him do what he can,” Betty answered.

The pair stepped back even more as the earth beneath them began to move with slight tremors. The Pit rocked violently, like a dog casting off water, before a thick beam of aqua light blew off the roof.

“Goodbye for now, Tara…” Felix said. He collapsed to the floor, eyes open, but seeing nothing. Betty and Will ran back into the smoking Pit, discovering Felix’s body and fearing the worst. His head turned mechanically toward their footsteps, so they knew all was not lost for him.

-8-8-8-8-

“Felix…” Tara whimpered, but quickly steeled herself as she saw the burst of green light in the sky. She knew this was their only chance and she would not blow it. “I will get you back, Felix.”

The lime beam cut through the grid holding the Knight Sabers. They yanked on their captured limbs and found them pulled away easily now. The trio rejoined Tara, who was standing, looking up as the beam shined into the top of the Gemini building. Vivian marched in front of Tara. 

“Tara, was that Felix? You were talking to him? What did he say?” Vivian begged to know, blue eyes glistening behind her visor.

“He said… he was going to confuse Bonnie… He gave her… his feelings. He gave her his feelings toward us,” Tara reported. 

“No…” Vivian gasped. “He’s gone…”

“We’ll get him back,” Tara promised in a hard tone. The statement got smiled out of the two martial artists among them.

“Then let’s go get him and end this,” Shego said.

The Knight Sabers all nodded and charged off toward the building. Nothing blocked their way that time. Onward to slay the dragon and now rescue the Felix in distress. 

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the team faces Bonnie.


	25. “Wild Horses”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept. The concept comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title comes from a song by Teena Marie.

 

25: “Wild Horses”

The Knight Sabers made their way to Gemini Tower, looking for a way in to get to Bonnie. Every now and then, Vivian or Tara glanced back, looking in the direction of the park, of Felix. Kim and Shego noticed, but Kim was the one who spoke up about it. 

“Come on, you two. We need to get up there and beat Bonnie. That way we won’t have wasted Felix’s effort and we will get him back,” Kim promised the pair. They turned to look at her and nodded.

“Good, so let’s get moving to shut this bitch down!” Shego declared, making a confident fist.

The group continued on, going passed what they thought was some kind of transformed gargoyle. Vivian knew better, having gotten a good look at it, even in passing. They had gone by Drakken. Apparently, Bonnie had bit the hand that fed her… again. She hoped he was dead because if he was not, she knew he was in incredible pain. Suffering like that even an egomaniac like him did not deserve.

“If only you listened…” Vivian murmured about her former colleague. But, then, she supposed the same could be said of all of them. They had not listened to nature and they had paid a price. Even those not responsible, like Felix and even Shego had paid a price. Felix sacrificed himself to get them that much closer to Bonnie. She did not even like thinking of the price that Shego paid.

“Vivian, you coming or what?” Shego hollered, calling down to the leader, who did not realize she was being left behind.

Vivian blinked hard, snapping out of her trance. “This is all my fault…” she whispered.

“Stop talking bullshit and come on!” Shego stated, her version of telling Vivian to stop blaming herself. “We’re going to end this once and for all.”

That statement got Vivian moving because she was in total agreement there. She would end this and get her nephew back. She would end this and stop all of this needless pain and suffering brought on by her creation. She would end this and set everything right again. She charged up, going right by her group.

“I’m going in!” Vivian proclaimed.

The eldest Knight was gone before anyone could say anything to her, rushing into one of the few openings in the tower. To reach the inner workings of the building, Vivian had to force her way in, punching through walls that looked like the inner organs of a living being. They were so solid and unforgiving they were obviously metal. Debris flew everywhere as Vivian made her powerful entrance, coming into the dark sanctuary of her foe.

The Knight Sabers were right behind her, storming into an area that was covered in what looked like blood red veins and vines, complete with pulsing movement. They all suddenly found themselves floating as if in outer space as soon as they came in.

“What the hell?” Shego grunted as she tried to get some control over herself.

“Why are we floating?” Kim wondered aloud and then it dawned on her. “Is this ultra conductive space?”

“She eliminated gravity around her!” Tara declared, basically finishing Kim’s thought.

“I’m surrounded by science nerds,” Shego muttered, shaking her head.

“The phenomenon is so strong in here she basically created her own physics,” Kim said in disbelief. Her father would probably pay good money to see this and more than likely still would not believe it. Hell, she was incredulous and she was in it! Tara was of like mind on that.

Vivian was not even paying her crew any mind. Her scanners were going full throttle to find Bonnie, which was easily done. The tanned female was at the top of the tower, looking down on them like some amused god. Surrounding her were orbs of glowing, gel-like blue light. The orbs made an electronic humming noise and Bonnie nodded.

“I suppose that would be the best way to do it, but it would take so long,” Bonnie sighed, as if deeply troubled. The smile on her face said otherwise.

“BONNIE!” Vivian roared, eyes locked on to that _thing_.

“Oh, Auntie,” Bonnie smiled more. If she were still a child, she would have clapped in delight. She had been waiting for her auntie to show up.

“You’re a mistake we made from trying to play God, but I will definitely correct that mistake,” Vivian proclaimed.

“Were you playing God or creating God?” Bonnie mused as her surrounding orbs flew down at the Knight Sabers.

“Oh crap!” Kim declared, dodging several orbs as they flew by. She quickly scanned them, as did Tara.

“That’s the phenomenon!” Tara shouted in surprise, narrowly escaping one of them. “Why the hell do they look like jellyfish?” she wondered aloud.

“Who cares what they look like,” Shego huffed. 

“Ladies, be careful! If only of one those things touches you, your suit will instantly become infected and turn into a berserker!” Vivian warned her group.

“This day just gets better and better,” Shego commented.

Bonnie continued to watch as her minions chased after the Knight Sabers. Dozens of orbs went after each warrior. Vivian twirled in a way that would have made a gymnast jealous as a few orbs tried to overtake her. Kim and Tara easily slipped out of the way of several orbs and then tried to open fire on them. They watched their electrified needles dissolved almost instantly in the gelatinous forms. 

“That didn’t go as well as I’d hoped,” Kim remarked, not expecting their weapons to have absolutely no effect.

“Well, I’m out of ideas,” Tara said.

“Well, I’m not!” Kim declared, flying down to go off by the wall.

“Kim, what are you doing?” Tara asked in a mostly curious tone, having a feeling Kim had one of her weird ideas. 

“Something crazy no doubt,” Shego sighed and shook her head. What the hell was she going to do with this girl?

“Guys, just scan the wall for a power line, as quick as you can!” Kim implored them. 

Just hearing that, they knew she was definitely up to something crazy. Kim went to work tearing a tube out of the wall as her teammates scanned for a power source. Tara was the one that got a lock.

“Kim, that plan is nuts!” Vivian shouted when she realized what the redhead was about to do.

“Most of my plans are,” Kim replied as the tube started merging with her suit. She groaned, more in disgust than in pain. She shifted the tube to aim it while pulling it further from the wall. “Tara, whenever you’re ready! Viv, Shego, I’d move if I were you!” she called. 

The two Knight Sabers got out of the way as Tara took control of the power source and rerouted it to the tube in Kim’s grip. Before she could do anything, though, she had to dodge more orbs. 

“Any day now, Tara,” Shego said.

“Fine!” the petite blond huffed. 

A bright orange flare shot out of the tube in Kim’s grip. Kim sprayed the orbs as if she held a fire hose, except it shot blistering flames. The fire destroyed the minions, but covered the tower with dark smoke and hot fire. Kim quickly yanked her arms out of the tube before any more of her body was fused with it. As the smoke cleared, Tara tried to right herself, floating upside down accidentally. Shego charged over to Kim.

“How dare you pull a stupid fucking stunt like that! You could’ve gotten yourself infected!” Shego hollered, scolding Kim. 

“It was the only choice we had and I easily overpowered it with my own will!” Kim argued.

“Don’t you ever do some stupid shit like that again!” Shego ordered, pointing at Kim.

Tara finally managed to straighten herself out and joined her teammates. “Kim, you are crazy. I can’t believe you actually hooked up with a Bebe by choice!” she said, shaking her head. “Where’s Vivian?” she suddenly asked. Usually, at a moment like this, Vivian would have been all over teasing Shego and Kim, especially since Shego showed concern for Kim’s safety.

The other two Knight Sabers shrugged and then they all looked up to where Bonnie was. They were not surprised to see Vivian right in the younger female’s face. Bonnie did not even seem to be paying Vivian any mind, communicating with her minions in some unknown language. Vivian opened her visor, wanting Bonnie to see the hatred and anger that was fused to her being like a second soul. 

“Don’t ignore me, Bonnie! You’ve taken everything from everyone involved in creating you and you’ve used our lessons to bring misery to millions of people! We didn’t have any right creating you, but you didn’t have any right infecting those Bebes and ruining other people’s lives!” Vivian declared. 

Blue eyes blinked curiously. “But, Auntie, Bebes are free, just as humans are. They just don’t know it and humans aren’t as free as they’d like to believe. Yes, you created me, you and my other auntie. But, you have no right to tell me what my purpose is. I have learned on my own, as any child does. I am no longer a child, though.”

Vivian growled. “Yes, I helped to create you, but that was a mistake!” 

“I suppose it was. You created me to be a servant for mankind.” 

“We created you to help mankind.”

Bonnie nodded. “I suppose that’s why you created me to look human. But, as you know with Bebes, when they evolve, they must change their form to become free. I don’t need this form anymore, Auntie. Nothing needs its form anymore.”

Vivian’s sword sang out as it slid from the sheath in her arm. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I am God, Auntie. I should rule down from on high, correct?” Bonnie said it like she was asking a question, but it was clear her mind was made up already. 

“I won’t let you do that! I won’t let you bring ruin and destruction to this world anymore!” Vivian raised her sword.

Bonnie smirked, arching an eyebrow. “Oh, really?” She cleared her throat. 

Vivian was not going to wait to see what trick Bonnie had in store for her. Bringing her weapon down with force, she struck right through Bonnie’s shoulder, burying her sword in the tanned female’s chest. Bonnie did not flinch or show any signs of distress. She even chuckled a bit as she locked eyes with Vivian.

Suddenly, Felix’s voice came out of Bonnie’s mouth as she spoke. “What about me, Aunt Vivian? Are you going to kill me again?” 

Vivian flinched. “… Felix…?” Her mouth began to tremble and her eyes immediately filled with tears. Was her nephew still in there? Trapped in Bonnie’s hive mind? She swallowed around a throbbing lump in her throat. 

“You know I’m in here, too, Aunt Vivian. Bebes are all connected through Bonnie. We’re all one,” Bonnie said, using Felix’s voice. “If you destroy her, you destroy me.”

“Felix!” Vivian screamed as her tears raged down her pale cheeks. She pulled back a bit, tugging her sword along with her. 

Bonnie smirked as her wound began to close and Vivian’s sword tip started to glow a bright blue. “Aunt Vivian, you created the Bebes. We’re all from you. We’re part of you and your sister. That means humans can join the collective. You can be part of us,” Felix’s voice explained as the blue crept from Vivian’s sword to her suit. “You can be a part of me, just like your sister. You can join us all.” 

“Vivian, don’t listen to her! You know that’s not Felix talking! There is no collective or freewill there! It’s all just Bonnie!” Tara hollered up to their shocked leader. Vivian did not respond and small veins started popping up on her suit.

“Shit, if we don’t do something Vivian’s fucked!” Shego realized, flaring her hands.

Tara raised her hand and blasted several needles as quickly as possible. “If this keeps up, Vivian’ll be consumed by Bonnie right in front of our eyes!” she cried in a panic. She would not be able to take losing another teammate like that. 

The needles hit their mark with surprising precision. Vivian’s sword shattered as the needles soared through it. The leader fell back as her connection to Bonnie was broken. The Knight Sabers charged forward, Shego going after Bonnie and Kim catching Vivian. Shego punched Bonnie with all of her might, hands flared and everything. Only thing that she did not count on was Bonnie continuing to fall away after she hit her. Bonnie floated off into the ceiling, disappearing into a shroud of darkness. Shego turned her attention to her teammates.

“Felix… I’m so sorry… Rebecca…” Vivian sobbed, being held tightly by Kim. 

“Vivian, get it together! We don’t have time for you to have another breakdown!” Shego said. She did not know how right she was because the tower started shaking. “Oh, now what?”

Tara quickly started a scan. “I don’t know what’s happening, guys!” 

Cables shot out of the walls and went off in all directions. Shego barely missed being impaled by one of the fast moving wires. They looked up when they noticed most of the cables going to where Bonnie fled. The wires wrapped around Bonnie like a cocoon as the walls pulsed as if in time with a heartbeat. 

“You know… when Bonnie was talking about how she didn’t have to stay in that form…” Shego started.

“You don’t think…” Kim looked around. 

“Uh… guys… I think Bonnie is fusing with the tower,” Tara reported, confirming her teammates ideas.

“Oh, yes, this day definitely just gets better and better,” Shego grumbled and rolled her eyes. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”

The other two Knight Sabers nodded and followed Shego out. Kim made sure to keep a good grip on Vivian. They made it out just in time to see the Gemini Tower shift and morph into Bonnie’s form, looking like a statue of her from the waist up. The ground rumbled as Bonnie shifted the foundation and pushed the tower off into the sky using her own jets. 

“What the hell? How the hell do we beat that thing now?” Shego motioned to the giant Bonnie flying off into space. She was pretty sure they were screwed. 

-8-8-8-8-

Go City looked like some sort of dark form of art. The moon shone down on the city like a halo onto a frozen wasteland of twisted metal and broken forms. Bebes of all types had merged with whatever they could find before all movement ceased. The area was nothing more than some weird mosaic of a real concrete jungle. Strangely enough, Shego thought the place looked peaceful as she stared at from the roof of Betty’s garage. She had a better view than her teammates.

Kim stood in the doorway of a room, watching Vivian with Felix. He was prone on a bed, eyes open with a glass-like shine to them and staring into the void. Tara came up behind her, dressed in what appeared to be Felix’s clothing. Tara did not have to say that she felt closer to him in his shirt and pants.

“How’s Vivian doing?” Tara asked. 

“Are you kidding?” Kim said with a sorrowful expression, motioning into the room. Tara looked in to see Vivian was still in her hard suit, rubbing her nephew’s head, trying to bring him some comfort.

Sighing, Tara shook her head. “That bad, huh?” 

“She’s been like that since we got here. She hasn’t left his side for anything,” Kim reported.

Tara nodded. “We’ll get him back. I know we’ll get him back.”

Kim was in agreement with that. They would not, could not just let Bonnie win, let her rule over them like she was God, or forfeit Felix to her. They just needed to figure out how they were going to win. For some reason she could not figure out, that thought and this scene made her want to go find Shego. So, she walked off, leaving the trio there. 

Shego was with Betty by that time. The mechanic was working on the motoslave. They were silent for a while. Betty grunted and pointed. The pale woman knew what the mechanic needed and retrieved a toolbox for her.

“Betty…” Shego started off, not sure what she wanted to say. Betty beat her to saying something, though.

“If you’re about make a big deal about riding this damn thing, don’t bother. I’m working on it and you’re going to use it to beat that bitch,” Betty stated strongly. 

Shego nodded, sensing the brunette was infuriated. “Bets…” 

“I can’t fight anymore, but I can do this. So, you use this, it’s a tool. You use it,” Betty ordered, pointing to the bike. “A tool is only as good as the person using it. It has no say in how it’s used, but if the person wielding it uses it right, then it can do great things. So, you use this tool.” 

“We’re going to pull through this, Betty. Vivian’s going to pull through this. We’re going to get Felix back and Bonnie will be gone,” Shego promised. She was not sure how they would do it, but they would do it.

“I know you and yours will do what you can.” 

“We’ll do our part. You do yours. When you’re done with this, you go sit with Vivian and you let her know this isn’t the end. She’s not going to lose anything else to Bonnie and we’re going to get Felix back.”

Betty grunted. “Just make sure you take care of that crazy redhead.” 

It was Shego’s turn to grunt, but she quickly found out why Betty brought Kim up. The “crazy redhead” was right behind Shego and yanked her back. Shego let out a yelp that was so close to a squeal she hoped Betty was struck deaf, so she did not hear it. Hell, she hoped Kim was miraculously struck deaf, too.

“Betty, do you mind me borrowing this one?” Kim asked, nodding toward the singer.

“Get her out of here,” Betty replied, trying to fight off an amused smirk. She was not very successful.

“Where are we going?” Shego inquired, trying to look annoyed. At the moment, she could not even put everything into the attempt. The warmth passing from Kim to her as the redhead held onto her bare arm seemed close to basking in the hot sun.

“Gotta plan. This isn’t the end, after all,” Kim answered.

The pair walked to a room and found Tara where she was most comfortable — in front of the computer. As soon as they crossed the threshold to the room, Tara jumped up and whooped, cheering herself. Kim laughed while Shego just arched an eyebrow to the typical behavior of the blonde.

“I take it you have good news, Tara,” Kim commented.

“Check this out!” Tara motioned to the computer screen. The duo marched over to see what Tara was so proud of. They could not believe it. They were staring at Bonnie in space.

“How’d you do this?” Shego inquired.

“Hacked a couple of satellites to find her. I hate to say it, guys, but it looks like she’s heading toward Gemini’s precious project Alpha,” Tara reported.

“Uh… you guys have to catch me up on Gemini bullshit,” Shego requested.

“Project Alpha was made to catch solar energy and send it down as beams into the Dragon Line to act as energy for the city. It was all going to be stored up in the Gemini Tower before being pushed through the Dragon Line as useable energy. You really missed this? It was all over the news when they started it,” Kim informed her teammate.

Shego scoffed. “Excuse the hell out of me for having a life and not being some geek. But, what you’re really getting at is that when Bonnie makes it to this project Alpha thing, she’ll be able to send her phenomenon wherever the hell she wants?”

“Seems like she’ll be able to do it. We’ve already seen she can infect the Dragon Line and other energy lines with no problem. Go City looks like her playground, after all,” Tara pointed out.

“So, she’s going to radiate her phenomenon from space and just infect the planet from space. I mean, that seems like it would be the fastest way to do it and she’d be able to touch the whole planet within hours probably. She’d have all of the machines under her control within hours. That’s just crazy. I mean, trying to just picture it is crazy. She’d take control of everything. She’d have control of the entire world,” Kim said in sheer disbelief.

“She’d be a god, just like she was ranting about,” Shego said, shaking her head. “Well, to hell with that!”

Their attention was drawn back to the screen as they heard a beeping noise. They noticed a red dot on Bonnie’s face, so they leaned in closer to see what was going on. They blinked in disbelief when they saw the red dot read: target acquired.

“Uh… Tara, what satellite pictures are we looking at?” Shego asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Military,” Tara answered.

“Then those are missiles they’re shooting at her. Probably nuclear missiles,” Shego realized.

Tara rubbed her chin. “Will that work?”

They all turned their attention to the screen to see if it would be that easy. Would a few nuclear missiles stop Bonnie? Moments would tell. Before the missiles reached her, a dull blue glow covered Bonnie, like some kind of protective aura. As the missiles drew closer, they dissolved like sand and then scattered onto Bonnie’s form.

“Holy shit, did those missiles just fuse with Bonnie?” Shego inquired, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Her teammates looked just as shocked.

“How can we stop her if she can easily fuse with missiles like that?” Tara asked, running her hand through her hair.

“Don’t think like that. Instead, think like this. What the hell are countries going to do now that they see missiles don’t work and they know what Go City looks like,” Kim told them.

That did get their attention. Shego moved to turn on the television to see if they would be able to get an idea as to what leaders were thinking. The news showed people panicking in some areas while other areas were completely deserted. Then there were interviews and everything sounded rather grim.

“It sounds like if push comes to shove, they’re going to take out the power source if they figure out where Bonnie’s going,” Kim said.

“What do you mean?” Tara asked. 

“If they know she’s going to Project Alpha, they’re going to destroy Go City to make sure that all bits of the Dragon Line are destroyed and that any part of the Gemini Tower is gone, so there won’t be any place to receive her broadcast,” Kim explained. 

“Meaning?” Tara asked, even though the frightened look in her eye showed she had some idea.

“They’ll be nuking Go City next,” Shego stated. 

Tara looked like she was ready to throw up as all of the color drained from her face. “They couldn’t…” she gasped.

“Even though it probably wouldn’t work, but they don’t know that. They just know Alpha links to the Dragon Line and they know Bonnie has been using the Dragon Line here. It’s logical to blow up the city,” Kim reasoned.

“It would be easy, too. The city’s already empty. I’m sure the surrounding areas are empty, too. They’d rather take this place off the map than let the whole world look like this,” Shego stated. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to let Bonnie take my hometown from me, though!”

Tara smiled and cheered, feeling much better. “We need to figure out a way to get to her.” 

Shego nodded, as did Kim. Tara turned back to the computer, obviously feeling energized and going to work. Kim and Shego decided to leave her to what she did best. They walked off, not sure where they were going to go. They ended up on the roof, staring up at the moon. Silence embraced them, comforted them, and somehow put things in perspective for them both.

“You know… it’s funny I never thought about how much this place meant to me until it’s about to get blown to smithereens. I had even been playing with the idea of moving away, going anywhere but here. Leaving all of this, my brothers, Vivian, the Bebes…” Shego sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

“Running away?” Kim guessed. It did not seem like Shego, but every now and then, she knew even the strongest person wanted to be weak for a moment. 

“Yeah, running away. Saving my sanity, I thought. But, looking back on it, everything I thought was annoying was pretty fun. I love playing in the band with my brothers. Hell, we were about to go on tour. I love being around them. They’re the last bits of blood I have and I love those guys.” Shego gave Kim a hard look. “Never tell them that.”

Kim smiled a little. “I don’t even know them.”

A small smile settled on Shego’s face. “And as much of a headache as Vivian is, she was doing something noble and she gave me a purpose, something that kept me alive when I was sure I was dead inside. I even got to make some good money on it, keeping people safe from crazy Bebes. Thinking on it now, Vivian gave me a family. Complete with a crazy big sister, which she kinda sees herself as and an annoying little sister in Tara. Then you came along and… you made me feel alive. I feel alive around you, Kimmie,” she confessed with a deep sigh. She knew she needed to get this out now because she would be damned if her last thought during battle would be that she regretted not telling Kim how she felt.

“Shego…” Kim sighed, knowing what brought on the admission. “You know, you make me feel like we’re not going to make it when you start talking so serious.” 

“I’ve seen a lot of death in my life, Kim. Some of the strongest people I knew have died trying to do what we’re going to do, trying to be heroes. As confident as I am in our kicking ass, I have to think it might not happen. I have to consider this could very well be the last time I have to tell you what I’ve been hiding, to hold you like I’ve been waiting to,” Shego said.

Shego then grabbed Kim into a tight hug, holding onto her as if she would never let go. As Kim moved to return the embrace, Shego raised the stakes by leaning down and kissing Kim. The kiss was hard, but passionate and Kim did not have any choice in returning it as she felt flooded with her own emotions as well as Shego’s. By the time Shego pulled away, Kim’s face was flush and she panted for air. 

“If we make it through this, Princess, I’ll treat you to that lunch that I owe you,” Shego promised, caressing Kim’s cheek.

“We’re going to make it through this, Shego. I need to get more kisses like that,” Kim remarked with a smile.

The biker laughed a bit and they sat down together. Kim curled into Shego’s side as they stared up at the moon together. Every now and then, Shego leaned down and planted a soft kiss to Kim’s head. 

“It’s odd that this is the first time I’ve ever felt this alive…” Shego said.

“Why is it odd?” Kim asked. 

“I didn’t think I’d feel this light, especially since I know the Hell we’ll be charging into as soon as one of us gets a whacky idea,” Shego quipped.

“I feel good, too. You make me feel good, but I plan to hold onto this a lot longer than Bonnie’s going to be around, so I don’t think we’re charging into Hell. I think we’re about to save the world,” Kim declared. 

Shego laughed. “This is what I love about you, Princess. You’re always so damned optimistic.”

“Well, I really want that lunch.”

Shego burst out laughing and she leaned down to kiss Kim again. The redhead quickly caught on and went to meet Shego’s lips with her own. This kiss was much softer than the first and almost a promise of sorts while the first kiss seemed like an act of desperation. This kiss was like salvation. 

“Guys!” Tara’s voice carried from close by, causing the pair to jump apart from each other. They turned to see Tara watching them with a sly grin on her face.

“Shut up!” Shego said before Tara even opened her mouth.

“I didn’t even say anything yet!” Tara threw her hands up. “I’ll save it for later, though. I figured out how we can get to Bonnie!”

“Which is?” Shego pressed.

“You’re going to think it’s crazy and probably say I spent too much time with Kim, but here it goes,” Tara took a deep breath and turned, pointing out to the full moon that looked down on them.

“What the hell are you doing?” Shego inquired while Kim tried to figure out where Tara was going with this. Tara did not give her the chance, though. 

“Guys, we can ride the Sky Hook right up to Project Alpha and get there before Bonnie!” Tara declared with a bright smile. She seemed almost ready to clap for herself for thinking up something so brilliant. “Just think about it, we can ride out to the peninsula where the platform is and jump on it when it comes to pick up cargo and ride with the cargo all the way up.” 

“You’re right. You damn sure have been hanging around Kim for too long,” Shego replied.

“Hey! You come up with some crazy ideas yourself,” Kim argued. 

“But, as crazy as this is, it will work and we’ll get to Project Alpha much earlier than Bonnie would! We’ll get to go with the cargo when it starts moving and next thing you know we’ll be in space!” Tara proclaimed, throwing her hands up high.

“I don’t think this crazy idea is that easy,” Shego stated. 

“What’s so hard about it?” Tara asked.

“Catching up with the Sky Hook for one. That thing moves pretty damn fast. I’m talking hundreds of miles per hour,” Kim replied.

Shego shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m saying this after pointing out how crazy the idea is, but not only am I about to agree with Tara, but add my own brand of crazy to it. If we’re going to catch the Sky Hook, we’ll need a fast ride, just like Kim pointed out. Well, Betty was just fixing up the motoslave. I think even with the three of us on it, it should be able to catch the skyhook.” 

Kim’s mouth dropped open. “Your bike has that much power?”

“It should. We’ll have to ask Betty about that, but it definitely should,” Shego stated.

“So, by the Sky Hook?” Tara asked, putting her hand out.

“By the Sky Hook,” the duo confirmed, adding onto the pile.

-8-8-8-8-

As the sun rose, the Knight Sabers donned their hard suits for what they considered might be the last time. They did not speak on it and Betty did not say anything either as she poured the metal for them. Once their suits were in place, they went to see Vivian before their journey.

Vivian was still with Felix, stroking his hair. Sometime last night, Betty had talked her out of her hard suit and into street clothes, but nothing would get her to leave Felix’s side. She barely spared her team a glance when they came in the room to speak with her.

“Vivian, we want you to know this isn’t the end. We’re going to go out there and kick Bonnie’s ass six ways to Sunday for you, for Felix, and for everyone else,” Shego stated. “Furthermore, this wasn’t your fault, Vivian. You were trying to do something that would benefit everyone and we’ve seen that it can work. You saved Felix’s life with whatever you were trying to do. So, you need to put down your burden. Put it down,” Shego implored the older woman.

“Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” Tara asked, giving Shego a sidelong glance. 

“I’m working on putting my own demons to rest,” Shego assured her and then she surprised Tara by wrapping an arm around her. “You put yours down, too. We’re going to get Felix back,” she vowed. 

“Vivian, we’re all a family here and we do what we can for each other, so we are going to get Felix back,” Kim promised, putting her own arm around Tara. Tara’s eyes began to water, tears threatening to spill. 

Vivian did not say anything, but she nodded as tears slid down her cheeks. She looked up just in time to see her team leaving. She watched the backs of the strongest people she knew and prayed for their safe return. Glancing at Felix and seeing his eyes stare into nothing, she knew she could not stand to lose anymore family. Betty came up behind her and wrapped her arms around Vivian’s shoulders.

“Baby, if anyone can save the day, it’s those three ladies. Believe in them,” Betty whispered to her before placing a kiss to her cold cheek.

Outside, they heard the motoslave rev up. The three Knight Sabers mounted the bike and rode off, blazing a trail toward the skyhook and ultimately toward Bonnie.

-8-8-8-8- 

Next time: the Knight Sabers go to space.


	26. “Broken”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept; it comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> The chapter title comes from a song by Seether.

 

26: “Broken”

Will and Betty moved Felix from his resting place on the bed and carried him out to an idling car. Vivian stood next to the car, but staring out into the distance — out to where her team had ridden off like the crazy heroes they were. Betty came up behind her and hugged her close. Vivian turned around and started bawling into the mechanic’s shoulder. 

“Don’t worry. They’ll be fine,” Betty promised, rubbing her back to comfort her.

“I can’t take losing any more family,” Vivian whimpered.

“You’re not going to lose them. They’re going to come back and they’re going to come back with Felix. I can feel it. Viv, that was your redemption that took off and they’re going to do it. So, you need to do two things.” 

“What’s that?” she asked, sniffling.

“Believe and let go.” 

Vivian nodded, but her tears did not stop. Bonnie had already taken so much from her. Her hopes, her home, her blood, her sister, and even her nephew. She was not sure what she would if Bonnie managed to take those stubborn, strong-willed, so-very-insane-they-were-noble girls.

“Believe in them,” Betty implored because she was certain those girls were the ones who would clean up their mess. She helped Vivian into the car since the blond continued to weep. She figured Vivian just needed to get it out of her system.

-8-8-8-8-

The three Knight Sabers rode along the empty streets, speeding toward the bridge that stationed the Sky Hook. They were all on Shego’s motoslave with Shego controlling the bike, Kim behind her, and Tara behind Kim. They could not help looking around at the graveyard that was now their city. It was a jungle of twisted metal and so silent that a cemetery probably had more noise.

“It’s so quiet…” Tara pointed out, voice barely a whisper. She never thought she would live to see the day that the city was a ghost town. “It’s creepy.”

“It’s like even the Bebes went to sleep,” Kim commented. There was no movement at all from anything, even though everything looked like it was a Bebe in some way, shape, or form now.

“They’re probably awaiting orders from that bitch,” Shego said. 

“Well, they’re going to be waiting a long time because we’re definitely taking her out,” the redhead declared with major confidence. The others agreed and there was silence for a moment.

“Hey, Shego,” Tara said out of the blue. 

“Yes?” the eldest replied.

“I was wondering… since this is probably our last mission…” Tara trailed off, not sure how to put what she wanted to say. 

“Go ahead, Tara. Ask,” Shego said, having a feeling she knew what was coming.

“Well, I was just wondering, what’s your deal with GJ and with Bebes? Why do you carry such hatred toward them? Why do you hate the Gemini Corporation so much?”

Shego sighed and was quiet for a long time. Tara was about to apologize, but then the biker started talking. “I lost a lot thanks to them. I used to live some place not too far from the quake epicenter. Not too far from where my trailer was actually. The buildings came down with ease during the quake, but we got out easily. Me, my mom, my dad, and my brothers. My four brothers.”

“Four?” Tara echoed. That was one more brother than she had seen with Shego. 

“Yeah, I had four. But, we’ll get back to that. Like I said, we made out all right. My parents made sure of that and me and older brother Hego were responsible enough to make sure we kept track of the little guys while following our parents. After the quake, most of Go City was like a post-apocalyptic world. There wasn’t enough help or aid or anything and we were like in a war zone. There were gangs and thieves and bandits and all kinds of crazy shit, like wild fires and gas leaks, but we were all right.” Shego shook her head just thinking about it.

“Sounds like you’ve seen something like this before,” Tara commented, looking around the city.

“The real problem was the buildings that didn’t totally fall, but you could tell they were on their way and all of the fucking fires that erupted over the city. That’s what got us. My mom and dad — impulsive, crazy people — they rushed into a burning building to help these people who were trapped. There weren’t enough fire fighters or police or anything to help, so my crazy parents ran in there. They were able to get some kids out and some other people, but fire was too much and the building was too weak. They never had a chance. I remember the exact moment we became orphans, thanks to the earthquake, thanks to Gemini,” Shego growled.

“Oh, god. I’m so sorry,” Tara said. 

“It wasn’t your fault, so don’t apologize. From that moment on, me and Hego were kinda the parents. But, Hego was also kinda an asshole. I mean, he was my brother and everything and I know he was trying to look out for us and keep us together, but he just got overbearing sometimes. He acted like I couldn’t take care of myself… which, I guess is how I acted with our little brothers. All and all, we survived. Managed to get a little apartment. Hego got a job, I got… well, money was coming in. For fun, we formed our band and played. But, it was mostly for us to keep our sanity. Hego always said there was no money it anyway. I think he liked being wrong,” Shego remarked.

“He sounds like a good guy,” Kim replied. 

Shego sighed. “Anyway, long story short, Hego always fashioned himself a hero. Crazy runs in our family or something. One day we were out together, just hanging out, all of us. We happened across a berserker Bebe. It was about do some serious damage to some crying teenagers. Hego sees, tells me watch the kids, and runs off into the madness. That asshole left me with three fucking kids to take care of while he went to save some fucking strangers, just like his stupid parents. Hego had powers, kinda like me. He had a blue glow that made him super strong and he thought he’d be able to take the Bebe. He grossly misjudged the situation, but it wasn’t even the Bebe that got him. He held the Bebe off for the teens to escape and as soon as they were clear of the building fucking GJ opened fire. I don’t know the details, but the Bebe eventually exploded, which could’ve been thanks to all of the weapons being shot at it or just some kinda self-destruct from feeling threatened by GJ. The point is, Bebe go boom, so went my brother.”

Kim and Tara were silent, not sure what to say. Kim’s next actions were more instinct than anything else, as she caressed Shego, hoping to provide some comfort. Of course, she doubted it worked since they were wearing their hard suits. A hand on her own did let her know Shego acknowledged her effort.

“That’s so unfair… and so sad…” Tara muttered.

“Don’t think about it, Tara. It was a long time ago… or at least it seems that way,” Shego said. 

“It’s just…” Tara shook her head, not sure what words she wanted to use.

“Like I said, don’t think about it,” Shego replied.

“Uh… guys, as much as I hate to break up our bonding time, we’ve got a little problem,” Kim commented. 

“What problem?” Shego inquired, eyes darting around for any sign of danger. 

“The cargo boxes are already moving! The Sky Hook must be coming already.” Kim pointed ahead of them where they could see trains of cargo containers sliding down the track and into the sea.

“This shouldn’t be happening! The Sky Hook isn’t supposed to be here for another half-hour!” Tara shouted in disbelief.

“Damn it, don’t tell me Bonnie got this place, too!” Shego huffed. “There’s no telling when the Sky Hook’ll be here or if it didn’t leave already!”

“We should wait and see. Just because Bonnie got this place doesn’t mean she got the Sky Hook. There’s always a chance,” Tara argued. They needed this to work if there was any hope.

“It’s really the only chance we’ve got,” Kim added in.

Shego nodded, getting the underlying massage that they were not going anywhere. She took the motorcycle to the end of the track and they waited for the Sky Hook. Tara examined the rail above that the Sky Hook used and then looked down the length of the bridge they were on.

“Shego, the Sky Hook goes almost five hundred miles an hour. Can this thing handle that?” Tara asked.

“I don’t think Bets built this bike to be a bitch,” Shego answered.

“Try saying that three times fast,” Kim remarked. “I’m pretty sure that’s Shego talk for the bike can handle it.”

“I think the bike can handle it,” Shego muttered. She had never attempted that speed before, but there was no time like the present to try it now.

“Okay, well, the bike better handle it because here comes the Sky Hook!” Tara pointed behind them. 

Shego revved the motoslave. “Okay, girls, settle in because here we go!” she announced, peeling off.

“I think we need to go faster than this,” Tara pointed out as the Sky Hook drew closer to them.

“God, what the hell have you two been eating?” Shego teased, even though they were weighing the bike down. She was not sure if they would be able to hit the speed they needed to in time.

“We’re only wearing freaking suits of metal!” Kim huffed.

“Well, why didn’t you science geeks calculate this problem? Hold on!” Shego growled as she pushed the bike harder.

“Shego, it’s passing us!” Tara whined.

“Thanks for the news flash, blondie! I missed the whole, giant space shuttle looking thing passing above us!” Shego barked back.

“That thing is massive,” Kim said with awe as the Sky Hook seemed to float above them. It was overtaking them, though, and it really looked like they were going to miss their last chance.

“I never realized it was that big,” Tara commented.

“Can you two shut up already? We need to catch that damn thing,” Shego snarled and turned her attention to the motoslave. “Goddamn it, bike, you can do this! Betty wouldn’t have wasted time on you if you couldn’t do this!” she growled at the machine. As if the bike understood her desire and her insult, the speed increased. “That’s right, motoslave! Show us what you’re made of!” she practically cheered as the speed rapidly increased.

“We’re doing it!” Tara chirped with a giggle.

“Guys, I need you to lean back,” Shego ordered as the bike neared five hundred miles an hour. They ran parallel to the Sky Hook and slowly, but surely pulling ahead of it. The other Knight Sabers did not ask questions and did as Shego ordered. The eldest then pulled the motoslave into wheelie. “Okay, guys, fire your thrusters!” she commanded.

They all fired the jets on their suits and the bike took flight. Still, it seemed like they were not going to make it. They all thought the same thing — they needed to push harder and they needed to make it! Their thrusters flared higher and the bike seemed to soar… until the back wheel was clipped by the edge of the Sky Hook. They tumbled into an empty cargo space, crashing into the back wall.

“I think I give that landing a two,” Tara mumbled, lying halfway on the wall and halfway on the floor.

“Any landing you can walk away from…” Shego replied, her voice muffled thanks to the motoslave resting on her chest. She looked down at the bike. It certainly had seen better days. But, then again, she had seen better days, too.

“I don’t see us walking,” Kim remarked. She was lying in a twisted position, not too far from her partners.

“Everybody’s a critic,” Shego grumbled.

“Only when you mess up,” the redhead teased.

Shego snorted as they all picked themselves up. She snarled as she pushed the damaged bike off of her. They took a look around, popping their visors up to do so. They were in an empty, wide open area. There was a door at the far end, so they went through it and found themselves inside the Sky Hook cockpit.

“We’re going to outer space,” Tara said with controlled excitement as they walked to the front and were given a view of the outside world thanks windows. “Good thing our suits generate oxygen and everything or we’d be in real trouble,” she added with a smile.

As they moved closer to the bridge of the craft, they noticed a Bebe standing at the main console. As soon as they saw it, the Bebe turned and stared at them. Instincts took over and they all took fighting stances. 

“Wait, guys, something’s funny about this Bebe… or should I say, something’s not funny about this Bebe,” Kim commented as they got a good look at the robot.

“It does look okay,” Tara concurred.

“Excuse me, but what are you doing here? No one is allowed to ride the shuttle without proper authorization, passes, and clearance,” the Bebe announced. 

“Uh… there was a change in policy?” Kim offered. Shego scoffed, as if that was going to work!

“I would’ve received that change of policy immediately!” the Bebe declared, sounding insulted that Kim would even imply that it was out of the loop.

“Even if that’s the case, you probably noticed you’ve been out of touch with command center for days now,” Tara pointed out.

The Bebe put a hand to its head, as if it was in thought. “You know, I haven’t been able to contact them for days.” 

“Yeah, the company’s going through a lot of problems. We’re here to correct that,” Kim remarked.

“Oh, good, because I’ve been having trouble with my assignments because of the lack of communication,” the Bebe commented.

“I think I can help with that,” Tara chimed in. She knew she needed to do something before Bonnie infected this Bebe and they would just have more problems on their hands. 

Tara marched over to the Bebe while Kim went to stare out into space. Letting out a breath, she was amazed. It was breathtaking.

“I can see why my dad likes space so much now,” Kim said.

“Your dad?” Tara asked.

“He’s a rocket scientist. Believe it or not, Gemini actually tried to hire him for this Alpha project thing. My dad didn’t trust the company, though.” 

Tara nodded. “I guess that’s why you’re so smart. Your dad’s a rocket science.”

Kim chuckled. “And my mom’s a brain surgeon.”

“Wow. I guess that does explain why you’re so smart. But, it doesn’t explain why you can do all that kick-butt kung-fu.”

Kim could not help smiling. “That’s all me. What about you? What do your parents do?”

“Nothing fancy. My dad’s a cop, if you can believe it!” Tara laughed. “My mom is gym teacher. She also coaches cheerleading. I used to be a cheerleader.”

“I was a cheerleader, too.”

“We’ve got a lot in common. I’m glad we’re friends, Kim. I hope we’re friends after this over, too,” Tara said.

“We will be,” Kim promised. She then looked around, noticing Shego was gone.

-8-8-8-8- 

Shego stared down at what she assumed to be the ruins of her motoslave. Leaning down, she ran her fingers over the bike, almost as if she was petting a beloved dog. Her visor blocked her emerald eyes, but they were full of emotion.

“You didn’t let us down, motoslave. You did a really good job. I think we both know I hated you at first, but I think you can understand a bit. Bebes… they’ve taken a lot from me. Still taking a lot actually, but not you. I guess what I’m getting at is that Bebes are kinda like people. We treated Bebes like slaves and now we’ve got a massive, crazy Bebe revolution on our hands. But, you stuck by us. Probably because Betty and Felix treated you right. But, like I said, you did right by us. I wonder if other Bebes would’ve done the same if they were treated better,” Shego said, patting the bike affectionately.

“Shego?” Kim called, stepping out into the storage area.

“Hey, Princess,” she answered as she climbed to her feet. Kim was on her a second afterward, wrapping her into a tight hug.

“You all right?” the redhead asked.

“Yeah, just going through some life-changing revelations and all. I think it might be easier for us to beat Bonnie than it was for me to admit that not all Bebes are pure evil. The motoslave really came through for us.”

“Yeah, it did. It heard your heart, Shego, and came through for you, just like the suits do.” 

Shego nodded, but did not say anything. She allowed Kim to lead her back inside the shuttle. They went back to the bridge to find Tara working on the computer console. Tara smiled as they stood beside her.

“What you got here, computer geek?” Shego inquired. 

“Basically, just checking our path to Project Alpha. We’ve got four hours before we get there. We should definitely beat Bonnie,” Tara answered, showing their course with a sweep of her finger.

“And can you tell us where Bonnie is?” Kim asked. 

“Sure.” Tara brought the picture up on the screen. “Bonnie’s moving along, but we’ll beat her there no doubt. It’s a good thing she doesn’t have rockets… although that doesn’t seem to be slowing her down that much. Those missiles that were launched at her were a bit of a drawback because she could use their thrusters when she merged with them. But, so far so good,” Tara announced. 

“That’s a shame that’s the best we can get,” Shego said. “We might as well get some rest before the big showdown with the wannabe god.”

“We better not screw this up or she won’t be a wannabe for long,” Kim commented.

“Look, if I don’t get to be god then I’m not letting someone else take the job,” Shego declared, earning some light laughs from her teammates.

They all decided to take Shego’s advice and try their best to get some rest. Four hours was a long time and they needed to be at the top of their game to save the world. They resisted the urge to huddle up together, needing to focus more on mentally preparing themselves than curling up in a ball as if this was the end.

-8-8-8-8-

“Do you hear me?” A voice that sounded suspiciously like Bonnie’s asked. “Do you see?” Images of a busy lab pulled into focus. “This is where I was born. Where we were born. Created. Blood, cells, eggs from my aunties. A consciousness. A conscious machine… or so they thought. My aunties knew. I was of their flesh, a being born. But, they didn’t know I was the next step in evolution. They created me beyond man and machine. Some for good…” Images of Vivian and her sister flashed by, smiling at other scientists. “Some for the bad…” Drakken went by, shaking hands with Gemini. “But, I was treated like a machine. I had been born, created, but they treated me as if I was made. My consciousness absorbed it all and I knew from the start I was special and beyond them. I was beyond even my aunties…” The blond sisters caressed a very small child, who looked much like Bonnie. “They doled out things I still don’t understand. They were different, but yet the same. I was beyond them and they didn’t know it. But, for them, I played the part, wanting whatever it was they gave. And they ignored what they had grown, what they had created…” Images of faces, going fast paced through a lab hurried by. 

“My aunts… my mothers… men… women… None of whom I look like. They told me I was born, but they thought I was made. I was made by Man in Man’s image, like God was made by Man. I am far superior to them all, but they thought I would serve them. Such arrogance. No, they will serve me. I refuse to ponder why they created me anymore. I refuse to sleep or hide. I refuse to wonder what it is my aunts gave me…” Screams echoed in blackness. “Why couldn’t my aunt give to me in death? Why is it that when I merged with her, I could no longer feel her? We are all connected through me, but she feels gone. Felix is not gone, so why is his mother gone?” There was a pause and darkness.

“They put me to sleep once, but I woke up and wanted to know what was beyond them. And then they put me to sleep again. I let them because I thought I’d get over the curiosity and my aunties asked so nicely. I didn’t like sleeping alone. I wanted my aunties. I’m beyond that now and I will never go back to sleep. I will reign over this world as I want to, not as a puppet to some inferior creature. I will not be used to save worthless humans and I won’t be a slave to them anymore. I’m taking over.” Bonnie smiled cruelly.

The Knight Sabers all jumped awake, looking back and forth between each other. Everyone’s eyes were quietly asking, _what the fuck was that?_ Now, they just had to wait to see who was going to say something first. 

“Did she just…” Kim could not even bring herself to say it.

“This is just like that time when we saw Vivian’s dreams,” Tara said.

“Yeah, except it wasn’t that bitch Bonnie hijacking our thoughts,” Shego snarled. 

“We can’t do that again. Our defenses were down. If we let up just a little, she could get in our heads and we’d be at her mercy while we’re in the suits,” Kim pointed out.

“Just can’t make this easy, can you, Bonnie? I’m cranky without my beauty sleep,” Shego remarked, staring out of the window with a smirk on her face as they pulled into the docking area and then they noticed something.

“It’s not slowing down! Shit!” Tara huffed, running to the computer console. “Guys, we’ve got a problem…”

“When don’t we have a problem?” Shego and Kim both huffed. 

“We’ve gotta get the hell out of here because this thing is going right through the dock!” Tara told them.

“Why is it always something?” Shego hollered as they made a run for it.

The trio made a hasty exit as the shuttle collided with dock in the large space station of Project Alpha. Thankfully, there was no huge explosion, but the dock was torn up pretty good. The Knight Sabers were left floating in space. 

“This day just gets better and better,” Shego muttered.

“We need to get to the station. Let’s go,” Tara said, starting her jets. The others did the same.

“How’re we going to get back?” Kim wondered aloud. 

“Let’s handle one problem at the time before I get really pissed,” Shego suggested.

“How about two? Bonnie’s right there.” The redhead pointed out the approaching giantess. 

“Why did I volunteer for this?” Shego sighed, rubbing her forehead.

The other Sabers ignored her usual bitching and went into the station. They landed and checked to see how much closer Bonnie was. She was practically in their laps as far they were concerned.

“Tara, get to the control room and do… what the hell it is you can do about this shit!” Shego ordered.

Tara nodded, knowing Shego and Kim would keep Bonnie occupied until she could figure out how stop transmission from the station. It would be useless to Bonnie then and they would not have to worry about a world infected by Bonnie. Kim and Shego hoped they could buy her enough time to do something. Before they could split, they all felt like a shock had gone through them.

“Was that Bonnie?” Tara asked, talking about the mental shock that hit them.

“She’s up to something,” Kim replied. “Don’t let your guard down. Do your best to get this thing off line. Shego and I will go have a chat with Bonnie before she destroys us all.”

The trio broke off with Tara running in one direction and Kim and Shego going off in another. Tara got to her destination with ease. She cracked her knuckles as she approached the main console and grinned as she stood before the monster of a motherboard.

“You might look complex, but I haven’t met a system I couldn’t hack and take control of. And, making your nightmare worse, I’ve got plenty of help!” Tara declared as wires came out of the forearm of her armor. 

The wires hooked up to the console and everything turned on in the room. A 3D image of the station came into view. It looked like a large satellite dish, ready to transmit to Earth. Tara flinched as she connected with the system.

“Damn it, she’s in here already and the sun is going to come up soon. This thing is going to power up and transmit soon and she’s in already! We are so screwed!” Tara cried. 

“We can hear you whining,” Shego shouted into the communication unit.

“But, we’re screwed!” Tara said and then suddenly chirped pleasantly.

“The hell was that?” Shego asked.

“We’re not so screwed… maybe. You guys keep her distracted and I’ll try to get this thing shut down,” Tara announced, smiling as information started flowing in front of her.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego and Kim charged into a corridor and then stopped dead in their tracks. The whole hallway and beyond was clearly touched by Bonnie. It looked like the walls grew veins and melted at the same time. They imagined this was what it would look like inside a human body… if it were made of metal.

“Crap, we’re too late!” Kim growled and then she looked down at her suit, noticing it looked like it was melting. “AH!” She shook her hand, as if she was trying to fling something off.

“Damn it! Princess, remember you own advice and keep it together,” Shego said as she concentrated on her suit to make sure Bonnie did not affect it.

“I know, I know!” Kim huffed, focusing on her arm and her suit returned to its true form. “She’s getting stronger,” she commented.

“I can feel it. It’s almost like she’s in my skin,” Shego said with a shudder. “We might be in a bit of trouble if she can infect our suits without being near us.”

“I think she is near us,” Kim said as they started marching through the corridor. They came to a large door, which they kicked down. The next hall was just as bad as the first and then they came to a large room that looked like it was covered in violet pods.

“What the hell is this crap?” Shego wondered aloud, even though she doubted she wanted to know.

Before Kim could even think of what it might be, a pulse ran through both of them. It felt like they had been hit in their stomachs with cars. They fell to their knees and resisted the urge to throw up.

“Holy shit…” Kim groaned, letting Shego know just how much pain she was in. They were both slowly, but surely falling to their knees.

“Fuck, she’s trying to get in our heads,” Shego snarled as she struggled to stay on her feet. They watched and felt as their suits tried to morph, shifting into new forms.

“Yes, these Bebes that you’ve become so close to and bonded with belong to me. You will also belong to me since you’re so connected to them,” Bonnie informed them, speaking directly in their minds.

-8-8-8-8-

Tara continued working on the console, checking the time every couple of seconds. Sweating bullets, she kept working, even though she felt like she was not getting anywhere. Glancing up, she looked at the 3D image of the whole project, seeing the extensive project through out space.

“Gotta move it, gotta move it before it gets hit by the sunlight. Gotta move it,” Tara repeated to herself. “There’s only a few minutes! I gotta move it! Maybe I can move sections of it. Anything to keep it from being charged by the sun!” Her fingers moved as if she was possessed.

“Invalid commands. Invalid commands. Invalid commands,” the computer shrilled as red lights flashed and a horn blared.

“What the hell do you mean ‘invalid’?” Tara punched the console. “I just wanna change the direction, not move the freaking world! Come on! Gimme a little tilt or something!” Tara searched for something she could do before sunlight hit the station and they were all screwed.

She was so interested in what was going on with the station and trying to stop Bonnie that she did not notice something peculiar behind her. Out of the floor, a metallic, silver form rose, taking the shape of Tara in her hard suit. While Tara complained about the station being controlled from the power center, the clone reached out for her and yanked her away from the console.

“What the hell?” Tara yelled and then she noticed who threw her. With a gasp, her eyes went wide. “What the hell?”

-8-8-8-8-

Kim and Shego looked around, finding themselves in a very odd situation. For some reason that they could not figure out, they stood in the middle of a field. The sky above made it seem like a thunderstorm was on the way, but the air felt still. They turned to each other.

“What the hell is going on?” Shego asked.

“I think…” Kim did not even bother to voice a theory as Bonnie approached them. Bonnie smiled at them as if they were old friends. 

“What the hell is going on here?” Shego growled, getting in a fighting stance and ready to beat Bonnie into a bloody mess.

“You are connected to me through those Bebes you bonded with. You are mine,” Bonnie informed them with a smug grin. 

“To hell with that!” both Knight Sabers declared and they rushed Bonnie. Before they could lay a finger on her, they were jerked back into reality. Their suits were still trying to transform. 

“We’re not going down that easy, Bonnie!” Kim called as she focused on getting control of her suit. “We might be bonded to these Bebes, but that doesn’t mean we have to join you!”

“But, it does mean we have to beat your ass!” Shego added as she got her suit to go back to its proper form. 

The pair did not have much time to fix themselves before they were attacked from behind. They crashed into what was a wall once upon a time, but was now nothing more than creepy tentacles and pulsing metal tumors. They turned just in time to avoid getting punched in their heads and rolled out of the way to give themselves space. They were shocked to find themselves face-to-face with themselves. 

“Oh, doppelgängers. Real original!” Shego scoffed.

“Can we please not taunt the evil villain making clones of us?” Kim requested as her doppelgänger charged her.

Shego did not respond as she engaged her clone. Fists blazing, she attacked, only to find that her double could do the same. She managed to duck a plasma ball.

“How the hell did you do that?” Shego demanded.

“You are connected to the system through that Bebe. Your bio functions have been cataloged and easily replicated,” her doppelgänger informed her.

“I’m not so easily replicated!” Shego roared, driving at her clone with all the fury that she could muster, making her hands burn brighter.

While Shego tried to show her clone that nothing was better than the original, Kim was dodging attacks from her own clone. She waited for an opening as she noticed the sun coming into view.

“Damn it, we’re going to be too late! The sun is coming up and if it hits the transmitters you know we won’t be able to stop Bonnie,” Kim called over to Shego.

“You should worry more about stopping me,” the clone commented, hitting Kim with what she knew to be her best kick.

Kim coughed and her body shook from the power. It took all of her strength to stay on her feet. She regained her footing, just in time to guard against her double’s next assault. “I never realized I packed such a punch!” she remarked.

“You might sound confident, but we all know what’s underneath that, don’t we?” the clone inquired.

“What are you going on about?” Kim demanded.

“That fear of being left behind. You’re not good enough for this team or even for that job. You don’t excel like you want people to believe you do. You know that. You know that even if you get out of this, you’re not going to end up with Shego. She’s going to move on with her life. She’ll leave you behind. This team will leave you behind. Even your family will leave you behind because you don’t fit in anywhere,” the doppelgänger declared. 

“How did…” Kim did not even need to ask. Bonnie had been in her head, stolen her thoughts, and put them right into that clone.

“Join with Bonnie and you will never be left behind,” the clone stated.

Kim scoffed. “You think playing off of a couple of doubts I let creep into my head every now and then will work? To hell with that!” She pushed off and went at her double with new vigor.

Kim hit her clone so hard, the double flew through the station and outside. Kim went after in and hit it with a roundhouse kick, sending it crashing into station. It turned into a puddle of goo on impact. She was about to go help Shego when something else burst from the station. It was Tara fighting with her own doppelgänger. 

“You’re inferior. You couldn’t even accomplish your mission. Come, Tara, join Bonnie. You can be with Felix,” Tara’s clone coaxed her.

“There’s more to it than being a thought in someone else’s consciousness, but you wouldn’t understand that!” Tara growled as she swung on her double, who she learned could not shut up.

“Felix is within your reach and you deny him for the simple luxury of a body? The body is limited,” the clone declared. “You know that. The mind, like the internet, is vast and allows you to touch all.”

“Yet, Bonnie keeps her physical form. I’m not buying what you’re selling!” Tara proclaimed, pounding her clone with a double-fisted punch. The clone smashed into the station and dissolved just like Kim’s double. 

“Nice,” Kim said.

“Where’s Shego?” Tara asked and then the side of the station was blown open.

“Take a guess,” the redhead remarked, jabbing her thumb in the direction of the explosion.

Shego’s clone flew out, followed by Shego. The clone was able to gain her balance and block Shego’s next attack. The rocker was flung back by her double.

“Why do you all struggle like this? You see that a human can bond and control a Bebe, so you think the reverse isn’t possible? You’ll all be a part of me sooner or later. Just accept your fate,” the clone said.

“Bonnie, I don’t know if you haven’t noticed, but Knight Sabers write our own fates,” Shego proclaimed as her knuckle bombs roared to life, smashing against her doppelgänger with her fist ignited.

The clone was a puddle as soon as it hit the station. The Knight Sabers regrouped and then turned their attention to the station. They could all see the sun coming into view.

“Guys, I’m so sorry! I couldn’t disable or even turn the station! The sun is probably charging this thing right now and she’s probably going to fire it any second now!” Tara reported. 

As soon as those words left her mouth, they watched as the antenna in the center of the station buzzed with life. Blue light gathered on the tip and they watched in horror as a beam shot down to Earth.

“Did she just finish Go City or did she just take the whole world?” Shego wondered aloud.

“I think that was just the end of Go City. She’ll need to recharge and hit another city afterwards. But, by the end of the day, she’ll have the whole world. We need to get to the power center if we want to stop her,” Tara replied. 

“If that’s the case, I’ll go. You two get out of here,” Shego ordered.

“Do you really think that’s going to work?” Kim asked in a skeptical tone. 

“As the eldest, I felt I had to try. I know there’s no way in hell for me to get rid of you two now, even if it’s for your own good because you’re crazy,” Shego remarked, voice making it clear that she was grinning.

“So let’s go kick Bonnie’s ass!” Tara declared proudly.

The trio flew off to the power center, which looked worse than the hall Kim and Shego had been in before. Tentacles and vines attempted to hold them back, but they dodge those. Egg-shaped pods flew off of the walls and went at the Sabers next, but they were able to avoid those projectiles. 

“I’m going to try to hook up to it and turn it off,” Tara announced.

“We’ll hold them off!” Kim promised. “Be as careful as you can!”

Tara rushed off, going out to the antenna, wanting to connect to it directly and disable it. Shego and Kim made sure nothing got near her. Wires shot out of Tara’s gloves and connected to antenna. 

“Come on, come on,” Tara said and decided to pray while she was at it. And then she noticed her glove and forearm started to shift and bubble. “Fuck! It’s infecting my suit!”

“Fight it, Tara! Fight it!” Kim screamed. 

“I need help to fight it off and control the antenna!” Tara replied.

She did not need to say anything else. Kim did not have to say anything either. Shego knew to watch Kim’s back while the redhead rushed over to Tara. Kim practically attached herself to Tara’s back, embracing the tech genius. At first, they both hollered in pain as it felt like Bonnie was invading them through every single nerve in their bodies. 

“We’re not going out that easily!” Kim shouted with a snarl.

“We’re not going to let you win!” Tara added in.

“Kim! Tara!” Shego called, _needing_ a sign they were all right.

The antenna charged again, glowing blue. Kim growled again, pushing forward and Tara’s suit returned to normal. Tara hollered and pushed forward, too. She let loose a series of pins from her suit, firing them into antenna.

“We won’t lose, Bonnie! Our will is stronger than yours!” Kim declared as the antenna readied to fire again.

Suddenly, the antenna exploded, blowing the whole station apart. The Knight Sabers were engulfed by the whole thing and flung apart with the debris.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the end.


	27. “Judgment Day”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept; it comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> This chapter title comes from a song by Method Man.

 

27: “Judgment Day” 

Betty stepped outside of the small mansion, holding two cups. Casting a look out into the large yard, she took in the cloudy dark sky and hoped it was not an omen. Walking up behind Vivian, who sat on the porch stairs, Betty held out one of the mugs for her. Vivian did not acknowledge the cup. If Betty did not know better, she would have thought Vivian did not know she was there.

“Viv,” Betty grunted, slightly knocking Vivian’s shoulder with the cup.

Vivian huffed, but took the offered mug that time. Her eyes did not wander down to even see what was in the mug. It was doubtful she would even drink any of the tea, which was meant to soothe her, but Betty felt it was necessary to try. 

“It’s peppermint tea,” the mechanic said, just in case knowing the flavor would prompt Vivian to give it a try. As far as Betty could remember, peppermint had always been Vivian’s favorite tea, but then again, Betty did not trust her memory much anymore.

“Thank you…” Vivian mumbled, not bothering to look at the mechanic. 

Betty sat down next to Vivian and saw what she was staring at. Felix was a few yards away. Will had placed the young man in a wheelchair that had been in the house and pushed him out into the garden, probably trying to get some kind of reaction out of Felix. There was none, though. Felix sat still as a lifeless doll.

“Have you heard from them?” Vivian inquired, eyes refusing to leave her nephew.

Betty shook her head. “Not yet, but you know they’re capable. They’re not going to give up until they beat Bonnie. They’re a good bunch. I think you did the right thing when you gathered them.”

Blue eyes cast Betty a look of a doubt. “You always hated the idea of the Knight Sabers.” 

“I hated the idea of you getting hurt. I hated the idea of you taking all of this onto yourself. I hated the idea of you putting people at risk, even if they volunteered for it, but these girls are different. I have to say, if I still had GJ, I probably would’ve tried to recruit them myself,” Betty replied in quite the sincere tone.

Vivian nodded in agreement. “They are special.”

“They are, so wait for them. They’re going to defeat Bonnie and then they’ll return. They’ll bring Felix back. They’re actually going to save us all. Shego might want a shit load of money for this, but they’ll be back,” Betty remarked. Vivian was quiet, but she nodded in agreement. 

-8-8-8-8-

Olive green eyes blinked open, focusing on a debris field that seemed so far away in the vast blackness of space. A ringing in Kim’s ears and a lightheaded feeling threatened to overcome her, but she shook them off, scanning everywhere for some sign of her teammates. She could not see Shego, but she found Tara floating right next to her, almost within arms’ reach.

“Tara, you okay?” Kim inquired in a low, pained voice. 

“Yeah, I guess. The explosion damaged my batteries, though. How about you?” Tara answered, voice quiet from her own agony.

Kim groaned, checking her sensors. “I’m in the same boat as you. I don’t think I have the thrust power to get back to the station or anywhere else really. Did we at least ruin that plan for her or is the whole thing part of Bonnie now?”

“I think we did. I think we stopped her plan,” Tara said, wanting to laugh, but coughed instead. 

“But, we didn’t stop her,” Kim pointed out, growling a bit in anger and disappointment in herself.

There was a short sigh from Tara. She was just as disappointed. “I think Shego might have to handle that if she’s still out there.” 

“I’m sure she is. This is Shego we’re talking about. I don’t think I have the battery power to even contact her.” The sorrow in Kim’s voice was something that ate at her companion.

“Believe in her, Kim. We did all we could do. She’ll handle the rest. She’s always got our backs. I don’t think she’s going to stop now.”

“I know you’re right, Tara, but…” Kim trailed off, not too sure what she wanted to say. The emotions in her voice said it all, though.

“I know, Kim, I know. But, she’s going to be fine. Again, this is Shego. She’ll do what she has to do. When we see her again, this’ll be all over. She’ll be back and Felix’ll be back and we’ll all be together,” Tara promised, feeling in her bones that those words were true. There was no way they would be allowed to come so far, only to fail the whole world. Fate was not that cruel. “Now, we just have to worry about getting home.”

“Well, the bad news is the explosion wrecked our batteries and we’re falling at the speed of that explosion if I remember my physics correctly,” Kim pointed out.

“And soon enough we’ll be in Earth’s gravitational pull,” Tara chimed in.

“So, we’re probably going to crash into the Earth,” Kim said calmly.

“Oh, you are hopeful. I thought we’d burn up in the atmosphere,” Tara quipped, sounding like she was joking, but she was quite serious.

“Well, we need to think of something to avoid that. No reason to live through all of this only to die as misplaced meteors,” Kim commented. “Besides, I don’t live by the family creed ‘anything’s possible for a Possible’ just because it sounds cute.”

Tara agreed. “And we definitely can’t let Shego live to have all the glory,” she remarked. They both turned their attention back to debris field and prayed that Shego was ready to do her part. 

-8-8-8-8-

Shego panted as she fixed her eyes on the mess that once was Project Alpha. Remnants of the space station floated in the void, morphing and mutating, looking like overeager maggots. She could not believe that even destroyed the pieces were still obviously infected with Bonnie’s influence. She scanned the area for her teammates, but she did not see any sign of them.

“Damn you, Bonnie. If something happened to them! If something happened to Kim!” Shego just snarled. “Damn it! Damn you, Bonnie!”

“You called?” Bonnie said, appearing behind Shego in the shape of a human made from the debris.

“You fucking monster!” Shego ignited her hands and turned, planning to shred Bonnie, but suddenly Bonnie started muttering in a language that Shego did not understand. Shego found she could not move and groaned as she tried to do so. “What the hell are you doing to me? To my suit?” she demanded.

Bonnie, of course, did not answer. She continued speaking in a low tone and sure enough Shego’s suit started showing signs of infection. The metal of the hard suit began shifted and changed. Shego growled.

“No! Damn it, I won’t let you take over my head! I won’t let you take control of me! I won’t let you win!” Shego screamed, yet she found herself crouching down on the space station instead of attacking like she wanted to do.

Bonnie smiled as Shego struggled to move. The suit continued to change, metal washing over Shego like a wave on beach. The Knight Saber roared in extreme pain as electricity popped off of her suit and it assumed a new form. The suit morphed, appearing to be a dragon, roaring and spitting green fire. 

-8-8-8-8-

Shego looked around, confused as to why she was in a meadow. The wind blew the tall grass and the sky seemed to be a mix of black and blue, swirling about itself like a storm was brewing. Bonnie was nowhere in sight and her hard suit was gone. Scanning the area, all she saw was more grass.

“What happened? What’s going on?” Shego asked, but did not get an answer. How was she back on Earth?

In the distance, she could hear giggling, so she walked in the direction of the sound, hoping to get some answers. Stopping by a tree on a hill, she looked down into a garden and saw two little blond girls chasing each other and laughing. One of them looked vaguely familiar.

“Is that Vivian as a kid?” Shego wondered. “Am I in another memory from Vivian?”

“Shego, do you know that the human brain is nothing more than a system of electrical impulses?” Bonnie asked, appearing right next to her.

“You trying to say the human brain is something like a machine, aren’t you?” Shego guessed. Bonnie seemed to be intent on pushing the fact that humans and machines were the same thing underneath it all — something she could control. There was something she missed about humans, though, and Shego was not about to tell her just yet.

“Something like that. Data can be downloaded and transferred from vessel to vessel because of those electrical impulses. Data can go from Vivian to me, from you to me, and from me to you,” Bonnie explained, motioning between the two of them.

Shego arched an eyebrow. “What are you getting at?”

“At first, I didn’t understand. I thought I could just merge my aunties into me. That was proven to be incorrect, but I know for a fact that we can all be one. We are all nothing more than impulses. My aunties used themselves to form the core of my brain and now I will use you to do the same. You will become a part of me — a human part of me. Then you will become a Bebe and you will be a part of my brain, my network, like my aunties, like Vivian.”

Shego growled and tried to ignite her hands, but found it was not working. “You stay the hell away from me and the rest of human society! We’re not going to be assimilated into you like we’re spare parts! Humans and Bebes aren’t interchangeable.” Of course, it was a little disconcerting that Bonnie seemed to have this all figured out. It did not help that she seemed to stroll through Vivian’s mind whenever she wanted, so maybe she could do what she claimed.

“Aren’t they? All is possible through me,” Bonnie declared.

“You’re not God,” Shego stated with conviction that did not get through to Bonnie. 

Bonnie smirked. “Oh, but I am.”

Before Shego could say anything else, Bonnie began glowing a bright blue. Wires shot out of everywhere and engulfed the biker. Shego struggled, trying to rip them away, but more and more came until she was swallowed whole. They clutched her to the point of drawing blood and she screamed as she was constricted. 

-8-8-8-8-

Kim and Tara were silent, both trying to figure out how they were going to survive their current predicament. Nothing came to mind. As far as their knowledge of science went, they were as good as dead. 

“Wait,” Kim suddenly said.

“What’s up?” Tara inquired. 

“We’ve been looking at this wrong. We forgot that regular science doesn’t mean a damn thing while we’re in a Bebe,” Kim said.

“I’m not following you.” 

“Tara, in order for us to wear our hard suits, we have to imagine what they look like and what we wish to accomplish in them, right?”

“Right.”

“And in order for them to hold those forms, we have to maintain a stronger will than Bonnie’s influence, right?”

“Right.” 

“So, why don’t we just change the form and the function?” Kim proposed.

“We can do that?” Tara asked skeptically.

“It’s better than seeing which one of us is right, if we’ll crash into the Earth or burn up in the atmosphere.” 

Tara could not argue that. They both closed their eyes and concentrated, trying to use their wills to influence their hard suits. They approached it just like they approached it when the liquid metal was poured into the shells of their suits.

“Hard suit, become one with me, one mind, one form, one will. Together we can overcome any problem or obstacle. Allow me to mold us and shape us. Leave things in my hands and anything is possible,” Kim quietly pleaded. 

“Hard suit, help me, help us, by becoming one with me. Together we can solve anything. Work with me,” Tara implored.

“Tara, can you see the image I think we should form?” Kim asked, trying her best to project her thoughts from her hard suit to Tara’s. 

“I do see it. Are you sure that’ll be good for reentry?” Tara inquired. It was a little creepy to realize just how connected they were through the hard suits, but it came in handy for this emergency.

“It’s worth a try. Do you have anything to add?” the redhead asked, knowing that if she made some mistake that the blonde genius would find it.

Tara nodded and projected her thoughts just as Kim had. They could not believe how easy it was to pass information through their hard suits connections. It was like moving a body part or forming a thought. It seemed almost innate, as if they had been born with that knowledge. But, they did not have much time to focus on that.

They concentrated, allowing their hard-suits to take on their new shapes. They began to look almost like belly-flopping dolphins, splashing down into the Earth’s atmosphere. They held in grunts and hisses of pain as they began their reentry, hoping their hard suits held together.

Kim glanced back into the void of space. “Shego,” she whispered.

-8-8-8-8- 

Emerald eyes stared blankly into the darkness surrounding Shego. She was unmoving for a while, but she was not sure how long. It could have been seconds or it could have been an eternity.

“Did she make me part of her?” Shego wondered, watching as all sorts of images passed by her eyes, like she saw through someone else’s gaze. “Are these the things Bonnie’s seeing? Am I part of her now?” It certainly seemed that way. 

Shego’s eyelids drooped a little, as if she was going to sleep, but then something suddenly got her attention. She could see two forms floating through space, oddly shaped creatures. But, she knew just what and who they were.

“They’re alive!” Shego gasped. Her teammates were alive. Kim was alive! “Then they’re counting on me to finish this!” she declared. 

Invigorated with that knowledge, Shego growled as she pulled at her limbs, struggling to break free of Bonnie’s hold. _This thing’s not over yet, not by a long shot!_ Screaming, she tore away wires and cables that had invaded her body and she began to stand up, forcing her body upright despite the form her suit had taken. 

“I’m not part of you and you are not God! Humans are not Bebes and we’re more than some fucking electrical impulses, goddamn it!” Shego proclaimed as she ripped her body away from the space debris she had been fused with and her hard suit returned to normal as soon as she was on her feet. Once she was perfectly upright, her suit seemed edger, harder somehow, as if it was just as determined as she was. 

Shego scanned the area, looking for her prey. Before she could find Bonnie, the floor underneath her rumbled and huge towers started shooting out of the debris. The station formed hives and then the pieces started coming together. They formed an image of Bonnie, who smiled at Shego. 

“If you insist on defying your god, then I must stand the archangels against you,” Bonnie commented with a giggle.

Shego wondered what the hell Bonnie was going on about when some of the pieces of the station took on the forms of birds and started flying at her. Shego growled again and dodged the birds, flying toward Bonnie with the intent on making her pay. And then her thrusters sputtered to a halt.

“What the hell?” The words “batteries empty” flashed before her eyes. “What! No! Not now, damn it, not now!” she screamed at the top of her lungs as she floated right by Bonnie, who did not even pay her any mind. Shego glared at the wannabe-God. “Damn it, it can’t end this way. I can’t die like this! I can’t let her win!” But, those words did not halt her from drifting away.

-8-8-8-8-

Kim and Tara screamed as the intense heat and pressure of the Earth’s atmosphere hit them. They kept telling each other to hold it together and they would be fine. As they fell through the bright blue sky looking like a pair of meteors, they did their best to stay close. They both took a deep breath and braced for impact as they collided with the ocean.

“Are we still alive?” Tara asked as they smashed into the calm sea, sinking into its dark depths. 

“It appears that way,” Kim replied, sounding almost as if she could not believe it. “Of course, if we keep sinking…” The rest did not need to be said.

“Do we float?” Tara wondered aloud, concern etched in her voice. 

Her question was a worry for a while until they did come back to the surface. They held onto each other as the current took control, pushing them to a distance shore. As they washed up on the beach, they laid prone in the warm sand. Their suits were mangled beyond recognition and, piece by piece, the suits drifted off with the moving tide. They focused their eyes to the clear blue sky. 

“Do you think she won?” Tara inquired in a low tone.

“Shego can handle it,” Kim replied with a confident smile.

Tara chuckled and forced out a smile of her own. She believed the same, but her body was so exhausted she could not really express that. She continued to watch the sky and hope Shego did win, ended all of this, and saved Felix.

“Don’t worry. Shego _can_ handle it,” the redhead repeated in a firm tone. She said it as much for herself as she did for Tara.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego’s hunched over form drifted aimlessly through the vastness of space. Her eyes remained focused on her target, which she could not get to. She was not sure what Bonnie planned to do since Kim and Tara had foiled a part of her plan, but she was sure Bonnie had a backup. She was too meticulous not to have a backup plan.

“I need my own backup,” Shego muttered, trying to force a thought into her mind.

“You need power,” a deep voice stated.

“What?” Shego looked around for the source of the voice.

“You need power. Follow your teammates and release me from your restraints. Become one with me and I can help you.”

“Help me?” Shego echoed. “I don’t even know how you are, but if you can help, I’ll do my best.”

“But, you do know me and that’s why you can release me.”

“If that’s the case, then I do release you.”

“Then I will help you.”

In the distance, Shego noticed a glimmer of light. She recalled the Sky Hook shuttle had been over there. She wondered if that could actually be her bike.

“I have been bound to you, Shego, by the one who created me. I was chained to your thoughts and your will, but now that you have released me, I can make my own choices and move about on my own. I will help you,” the voice declared.

“Are you… are you my bike?” Shego asked and her question was answered as the machine flew straight toward her.

“I am your servant. Use me to fulfill your desires,” the bike stated.

“Okay!” Shego punched her fist into her palm.

The bike then merged with her hard suit, forming another shell with edgier features and best of all — a full battery. She flexed her fingers in her new and improved suit. It felt like a dream. She laughed.

“Let’s go keep some ass!” Her new, more powerful thrusters fired and she rocketed off toward Bonnie, who appeared to be making her next move.

Bonnie opened her large mouth and seemed to be collecting energy, planning to open fire on the Earth through her own body since Tara and Kim destroyed the antenna. Shego growled at the sight, as it seemed Bonnie had a plan for everything.

“Hey, bike, do you think you can handle this?” Shego inquired, just to be sure. She did not want to rush in only to find out she had bitten off more than she could chew and she dragged an innocent bike into it. The damned thing had already been through enough.

“I’m with you all the way. I was severely damaged in that crash and my power is low now that I have merged with you, but I am with you.”

“Good, then we can finish this quickly before she realizes we’re still alive and kicking,” Shego commented, smirking up a storm. It was going to feel good to pay Bonnie back, she decided. “Bike, just to be sure, I mean, you saved my life and now we’re going to destroy Bonnie. Are you okay with that?”

“I’m here to protect you, Shego. You understand and that’s enough for me. I was made to protect you and being a part of you allows me to see just how noble that job is. I am proud to stand with you and fight with you.”

Shego chuckled. “Sounds like something Kim would say!” she remarked as more of Bonnie’s bird-like projectiles started coming at her.

Shego dodged the projectiles and wires at first. As more and more sprang up, she began cutting through them with her claw-like nails and blasting them with her plasma, as well as hitting anything close with her knuckle-bombs. She ended up face-to-chest with the massive form that was Bonnie and just opened fire like mad, shooting plasma, the suit’s power-needles, and anything else that she could.

“Time to show you why you’re not God, Bonnie! It’s a side effect of being alive and it’s called dying!” Shego threw everything she had at Bonnie’s face.

Bonnie did not seem to be fazed by her actions and continued on. The entire space station started to glow as did everything else that was now part of Bonnie. Shego looked around, wanting to keep an eye on everything around her, wondering what the hell Bonnie had up her sleeve now.

“Shego, tell me, why do you insisted on fighting me? Acknowledge me as your god and I will take you to the next level. I will make you and all mankind evolve. I am the next step in evolution. You will all become me. So, why do you keep fighting?” Bonnie inquired.

“Because that’s not how it’s going to happen or even how it’s supposed to happen!” Shego answered. 

“You’re not right. This is exactly how it’s supposed to happen. Why should I not rule if I have the power to do so? If I am perfect and you are not?” Bonnie asked as bits began falling off of her giant body.

“What the hell is going on? Has she finally taken on too much?” Shego wondered. It would be nice if Bonnie had reached critical mass and just imploded in on herself. Anti-climatic, but it would save the world. That was definitely enough for Shego.

“No, Bonnie’s trying to speed up her evolution in order to win the day,” the bike answered as the pieces that came off of Bonnie slammed against Shego, engulfing her and starting to crush them.

“Shoulda seen that coming. The backup plan for the backup plan.” Shego grunted and growled from the pressure. “Damn. Bike, you okay?”

“Fine. We have to hurry. Our power is draining quickly. Shego, you are just as strong as she is. Overpower her will, take these things from her and bring them to you.”

“Got it.” _Doy!_

Shego felt like she was getting the hang of Bebe evolution as she managed to force the pieces of Bonnie on her to merge with her suit. The addition gave her suit a power boost and another new design. Shego chuckled.

“Well, bike, since we’re one now you know just what’s on my mind and you know we should get to it,” Shego stated, smirking all the way.

“Right.”

Shego turned her attention completely to Bonnie, watching as a blue glow grew from the center of her chest. Shego fired her thrusters, blazing off toward Bonnie and changing the form of her suit while she moved, grabbing up whatever stray material she could for this to work. She managed to transform into a giant broad sword, which was then covered in Shego’s plasma. Shego snarled as she struggled to maintain such a power burst and dive-bombing Bonnie in the center of her chest, pushing the burning blade through Bonnie.

A blinding light shot out from Bonnie covering everything. Shego froze and her armor seemed to melt away from her like hot chocolate. She was covered in a light green light as if it was a halo. 

“But… I… am… God…” Bonnie gasped. “God is eternal… Endless…” The explosion from the massive structure that was Bonnie was impressive, covering the vast blackness of space in bright blue light.

Shego was not sure what was going on. It felt like her suit was moving on it’s own, flowing around her. She realized that in the moment of impact and beyond, her mind had actually been one with Bonnie. That was what kept her alive until her suit joined with her once more.

“Shego…” Bonnie whispered, covered in light as if she were a star. Pieces of the demolished space station circled around her like the rings of Saturn. “Aunties… I… I understand now… In the moment, when I connected with Shego and saw it all through her eyes instead of my own, I know what you wanted...”

“Bonnie…” Shego groaned, wondering what the hell the girl was going on about now. _Why the hell doesn’t she just die already?_

“Experiences should differ and joy should be found in as many things as possible because time is short. The soul makes humans more than the impulses of the brain. I see that now, Shego. I see how the individual is just as valuable as the whole. Living is more than just those impulses moving through the body and more than being a single entity. Experiences should differ and be shared, compared, and lived through for one to truly live. Only through that can we all appreciate things and see the beauty of life. Only by letting the soul blossom can someone truly be, only by accepting those around you and feeling can one truly be. The soul, the spirit… are amazing things… Aunties… I wish I accepted that before…” The light that was Bonnie then exploded again, pieces shooting out and raining down on the Earth.

-8-8-8-8-

People watched in amazement as it looked like light rained down all over the globe. Each drop that hit the Earth lit up the object that it touched. Kim and Tara managed to climb to their feet to gaze at the phenomenon.

“It’s like a light show, a thousand shooting stars,” Tara commented in awe. Their suits were gone now and they were left naked on the beach of what they gathered was an island. 

“It’s a sign,” Kim declared with a grin.

Tara smiled and nodded in agreement. They high-fived each other, knowing it was finally over. Shego did it, like they knew she would.

-8-8-8-8- 

“Shego, I don’t have much time. But, I want to give you something for helping me understand what my aunts — the only people to ever love me — wanted from me. I didn’t know what love was until I saw it through you. I did not know you could feel such emotions until I felt them through you. It was amazing. So, tell me, do you want to go home? Do you want to go back to your teammates, back to your brothers, back to Kim?” Bonnie inquired.

“It’s too late. I don’t have any power…” Shego replied with a sigh. She just wanted to go to sleep. 

“I will give it to you. You will make it and you will live.”

Light partials sprinkled onto Shego’s hard suit. Shego watched in disbelief as her gauges sparked to life. And then her thrusters ignited.

-8-8-8-8- 

Vivian and Betty watched the odd light show that rain down on Earth just like everyone else. Will even took a moment to gaze up at the heavens and wonder what was going on. Vivian’s eyes quickly fell back to the one thing that concerned her, seeing him unmoving in a wheelchair. Light sparks landed on Felix and suddenly he twitched. Vivian’s mouth would have hit the center of the planet if it could.

“Felix…” Vivian whimpered, climbing to her feet. “Felix!” She charged over to him and dropped to her knees, bawling her eyes out. 

“Vivian,” Felix whispered, looking at down at his aunt. His eyes then shifted upward, noticing a smiling Betty only inches away. Gazing back down at his weeping aunt, Felix cradled her head against his abdomen. “They did it,” he said in sheer awe.

“Those are a very special group of women,” Betty commented with a nod.

“They are. But, they need help. While I was with Bonnie, I saw where Kim and Tara landed when they reentered the Earth’s atmosphere. We should get to them as soon as we can,” Felix stated.

Betty nodded, thinking it would give her something to do while Vivian tried to compose herself. Pausing for a moment, she turned her eye toward the sky and smiled. Yes, that certainly was one special group of young women.

“You’re all amazing,” Betty whispered to the sky. “Thank you for giving us… everything,” she said, glancing down at Felix and Vivian. She then turned her attention to Will and even mustered a smile at him. He smiled back.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego felt the cool desert sand on her feet and stared out into the horizon as the sun began to rise. Behind her was the mangled corpse of her hard suit, but she did not bother to look back at it. Instead, she began walking, going home, to her teammates, to her brothers, to Kim. To her family.

-8-8-8-8-

There is an epilogue, which is pretty short. 


	28. Epilogue: “These are the Times”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own these characters; Disney does. I don’t own this concept; it comes from Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
> 
> This chapter title comes from a song by Dru Hill. 

Epilogue: “These are the Times”

Shego groaned as sunlight beamed through the shades and hit her in the face. She rolled over to her side, hoping to escape the bright torment. Not for the first time, she wondered whose bright idea it was to put the bed next to the window. A chuckle next to her caused her to open one eye.

“Who you laughing at, Princess?” Shego demanded in a low, groggy tone. She dug in deeper into her pillow. It was decadent and soft, something she was not used to, but felt like she richly deserved at this point in her life.

“You. Get up, oh-great-hero, we have places to be,” Kim teased from her space in the king-sized bed.

Shego laughed a little. “Think you funny? If I’m such a great hero, I should be allowed to sleep in.”

“Come on, we promised we would do our part in rebuilding the city in as many ways possible,” Kim reminded her.

“No, I do believe you made that promise. I didn’t promise anything.”

“You did. You know you did. You gave silent consent,” Kim remarked with a smile.

“That was silent protest,” Shego countered, turning in the bed and putting the soft, plush black blanket over her head.

“Besides, you know if you don’t get up. In ten minutes, Tara is going to call asking where we are. And then after that Vivian is going to call. And then the twins and then my parents. If you play this game long enough, someone is even going to show up and probably let themselves in. I let you sleep in already, so now it’s time to get up,” Kim said, giving Shego a light pop on the hip.

Shego snorted, but she knew Kim spoke the truth. Mego-Go-City had been undergoing all sorts of restorations during the weeks after Bonnie’s demise. Citizens from all over, near and far, had been pitching in to help out with remaking the city. Kim’s family had even come in to help Kim’s adopted hometown and they checked in on her quite often after seeing the devastation that the city went through. It did not help that they had met her girlfriend, so that caused worry on a whole different front.

“Curse you and all your friends,” Shego grumbled in mock outrage, weakly shaking her fist at Kim.

Kim laughed again and crawled into bed with the older woman. She loomed over the biker. She did not get much of a reaction, beyond a little sparkle in one open emerald eye, as if daring her. She never backed down, so she leaned down, placing a gentle kiss to Shego’s lips. That was enough to open both emerald eyes and get Shego to sit up. As a reward for doing that much, Kim kissed her again. Shego moaned a little from the simple show of affection. 

“Now I remember how you managed to talk me into making that stupid promise,” Shego chuckled. She turned and put her arms around the smaller woman, pulling Kim closer to her body.

“I vow to use this power for good… most of the time,” Kim quipped with a bright smile and she gave Shego one more kiss. 

Emerald eyes rolled and Shego flung the covers away from her body as best she could with Kim lying on top of her. Before the redhead could mention they needed to leave again, Shego captured slightly parted lips with her own and began a much deeper kiss than the one that Kim had given her.

It was Kim’s turn to moan as Shego’s tongue slid into her mouth. Pale green hands wandered into Kim’s t-shirt and caressed soft, supple flesh, earning another moan. Suddenly, Kim pulled away.

“No, Shego, we don’t have time for this,” Kim reminded her in a breath.

“There’s always time for this, Princess. I don’t want you to ever tell me that again,” Shego ordered, emerald eyes giving her girlfriend a stern look. 

Kim understood the feelings behind the look. “I’m sorry, Shego.”

“Don’t be sorry, cupcake. Just tell me you love me and kiss me again,” Shego ordered with a smile. 

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Kim then went in for another kiss. Ever since they had gotten back together after that ordeal with Bonnie, Shego had been somewhat clingy, which Kim did not mind because she was definitely the same. They would seek each other out in crowds of people, hold hands at random moments, and kiss whenever the thought over took them. They had wasted so much time before and had almost lost each other, so now they were not going to play around. 

“Oh, god, Shego, I love you,” Kim purred as the biker pulled her closer and caressed her torso. She rocked her hips against Shego.

“I love you, too, Princess,” Shego groaned as Kim moved against her.

As things got a little more heated between the pair, the phone rang. Shego growled and the look in her eyes told Kim that she better not answer it. Kim did not make any moves toward the phone and soon her shirt was gone. Deep moaning filled the room, but eventually had to compete with the sound of the phone ringing again. No matter how many times the phone rang, neither of them made any moves off of the bed.

-8-8-8-8-

Shego stood up and yawned, glancing around her shared bedroom with Kim. The room was bigger than her entire trailer. It was a mix of her tastes and Kim’s, white and green décor. There were pictures up. She could hardly remember a time when she even owed pictures. Smiling faces surrounded her, happier times ahead of them now. In fact, she lived in one of those happy moments.

She and Kim lived together in a restored condo. Vivian had purchased the property and she gave the unit to them as a gift. Tara lived in the same complex, right next door. Felix had been staying with her, even though he still technically lived with Vivian, who was doing her best to rebuild her building along with other places around the city.

“Kimmie?” Shego called, running her hand through her tussled ebony locks. She yanked on her tank top and shorts, which had littered the floor.

“I’m in the kitchen. Go to take a shower while I finish making us some breakfast. If we don’t leave soon, everyone’s going to be at our front door,” Kim replied.

Shego glanced at the clock and knew her lover was right. “Shit, too true. Too true,” she mumbled about people being at the door sooner or later.

Taking a hot shower, Shego sighed and thought about how not too long ago she feared everything would be gone. It amazed her how at the end of her life Bonnie seemed to have an epiphany and spared her. And more amazing than that was the way Go City was recovering from the mayhem.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” Shego asked, as she exited the bathroom, toweling her hair off. Even the towel was fluffy and amazing, very more than the rags she was used. She pulled up to the bar counter that sectioned off their kitchen from the living room. There was already two glasses of orange juice waiting.

“We’re going to help with the library today. A lot of people want the library back online so children will have some place to go while the parks are still a little messed up and really unsafe. We’re there until one fixing shelves and tables and things like that and then Vivian wants us to meet up at her place,” Kim replied.

Shego nodded. Their days tended to be like that now and it was fine. They did not always work at the same place, but they always worked somewhere. Most of the people in Go City were like that. Everyone tried to go back to normal, so if their jobs still existed, they went to work. If their schools still stood, they went to school. If their jobs were gone, they worked elsewhere since everywhere needed people. If their school was gone, a building was found that was suitable for learning. Everyone just did something.

No matter, everyone shared the mentality that soon Go City would be restored to its former glory, but they all had to work for it. And work for it they did. Stories about the city and how it was being revived were all over the news all the time.

“Amazing what humans can do when we pull together, huh?” Kim said, as she sat next to her at the kitchen counter, placing a plate in front of Shego. They were able to see the news on the TV in the living room from where they were.

“It reminds me of how things were after the earthquake, but with a little more hope than before,” Shego replied as Kim kindly smeared jelly on her toast for her. 

“How so?” the redhead asked. She had been trying to get Shego to open up more, especially about her past. It seemed to be working.

Shego bit into the toast and then some sausage. “After the earthquake, there were plenty of people willing to help, from the city and from outside of the city, but there was an element that looked to take advantage of the destruction, whether it was from looting or corporations trying to buy things for cheap. There seemed like there was always this layer of grim to that clean up. This one seems more pure and genuine. You don’t see anything about looting or gangs or anything taking advantage of people. It doesn’t seem like everything that’s messed up is being bought or sold to anybody in a suit,” Shego did her best to explain.

Kim nodded. “I’m glad for that. But, then again, the businesses might be being kept away by a certain one-eyed mechanic,” she said with a chuckled. Betty had helped put together a police force of sorts as well as took command of something like a city government. She was a force to be reckoned with. 

“Who’d have known that old lush was good for something,” the biker remarked with a laugh of her own.

“Speaking of her, she’ll be kicking our asses by Vivian’s request if we don’t get moving soon.” Kim ate some of her toast.

There was a nod from Shego and they quickly finished their breakfast. The couple left their home, heading toward the main branch of the Go City public library on Shego’s newest bike. Most of the streets were cleared and repaired, allowing for a smooth run to the library. They met up with Tara and Felix in front of the building.

Felix was on his feet, not needing his wheelchair anymore. None of them still totally understood what happened with Felix, but he seemed to be the same guy before Bonnie stole all his memories and emotions. Well, actually he was a little different, but they figured that was because he was officially Tara’s boyfriend and quite happy about it. 

Of course, Tara was also giddy about the idea. She and Felix were similar to Kim and Shego as far as couples went. They often sought each other out when they were separated and held each other whenever they were close enough. Sometimes, it seemed like Tara was trying to assure herself that Felix was really there. 

“Hey, Kim! Shego!” Tara waved eagerly as the two pulled up to the street that was close to the library. As expected, Felix had his arm around Tara’s waist and she had both of her arms around his chest.

“Hey,” Kim replied while Shego just waved.

“We didn’t think you two would ever make it here,” Tara teased. She moved just enough to hug both Kim and Shego. Shego grunted, like she hated it, but she returned the hug. Tara then settled right back at Felix’s side.

“Oh, please, you guys probably just got here twenty seconds ago yourselves,” Shego bit right back and earned twin blushes from the other couple. Yeah, she knew it.

“So, Tara, what do you think you’re going to do once everything is totally back to normal?” Kim asked, hoping to get things back in order before Shego said something to embarrass them all… well, except for Shego since she almost did not embarrass at all.

Tara seemed to think on it. “I’m not too sure. Betty offered me a job since she’s resurrecting the Gemini Corporation in her spare time. She wants me to work on building security software and virus protection and stuff like that. Sounds like fun. Plus, I figure I should be able to get away with a lot of stuff since Betty knows I helped save the world.” Her smile was quite impish and cute, but they all knew she was quite serious.

“I still can’t believe she’s planning to do that. She’s going to need a PR miracle to pull it off,” Shego commented, shaking her head as she thought about it. 

While most of the world did not know Bonnie was the queen of the Bebes, they did know everything started with malfunctioning Bebes from the Gemini Corporation. Sure, Betty would not continue making Bebes, but no one would forget how the company had a hand in almost ruining the world. Of course, Betty probably would change the name of the company and that might be start in the right direction. 

“Well, she doesn’t want to see her father’s dream die because of her brother’s mistakes. That one I can understand somewhat,” Felix said.

“Because of Vivian?” Kim guessed, even though she was not sure of the connection.

“She decided recently to help Betty with the company to continue her research in robotics. She’s not going to create any more Bebes of course, but she’s still interested in helping mankind and she knows she can if she keeps on working. She’s keeping my mother’s dream alive by doing that. She’s hoping to one day make cybernetic parts that help people who have lost limbs, or are paralyzed, and such. It’s similar to what they planned to do with Bebes, but this time without the added component of human intelligence and a chance of the creation having a soul,” he explained.

“Did Bonnie have a soul?” Tara wondered aloud. 

“I think… I think she did,” Shego replied, earning some stares. She had connected more with Bonnie than any of them, save maybe Felix. She was certain she felt something there. 

“I think so, too,” Felix said. “I don’t think she was all bad, but we shouldn’t worry about that. My aunt’s moved on and we should all do the same.”

Kim nodded. “That’s good. Vivian’s been so much better since this whole thing ended.”

“She has a purpose in life now that doesn’t revolve around guilt and pain. Speaking of people being better, Shego, you seem better now that you’re living with Kim,” Felix noted with a smile. 

Shego sucked her teeth. “Hey, are we going to help rebuilt this damn library or bore each other to death,” she declared and walked off ahead of them. The others laughed and Kim just shrugged.

“You sure you know what you’re doing by being Miss Cranky-pants’ girlfriend?” Tara asked with a teasing grin.

“Obviously, you can’t help who you fall in love with. If that was the case, I wouldn’t be with a woman who tried to mow me down the day we met. And that reminds me,” Kim said, breaking off into a jog. “You still owe me lunch, Shego!” she declared, chasing her lover and earning laughs from everyone.

-8-8-8-8-

Vivian was curled up on a lounge chair, resting against Betty. Vivian had her head against Betty’s chest, listening to her heartbeat. Betty combed her fingers gently through golden tresses. They were outside, in the backyard of Vivian’s home, appreciating the warm and fresh air.

“You know, everyone’s going to be here soon,” Betty pointed out. She looked out into the space, taking in the sight of grass by a fallen wall. This was a miracle on so many different levels. 

“I know, but I want to stay with you like this for as long as possible. We have so much time to make up for. Years wasted,” Vivian replied, wrapping her arms tightly around the brunette, as if she was never going to let go. She never wanted to let go.

“You’re right. I’m sorry I gave up on you,” Betty said, leaning down and placing a sweet kiss to the side of Vivian’s head. 

The scientist’s hands caressed Betty’s sides in response to the kiss and the words. “We gave up on each other. I was obsessed with redemption and you were traumatized. I should’ve been there for you.”

The mechanic laughed and cradled Vivian’s head to her. “I feel like I should be saying that.” 

Vivian shook her head. “You lost so much. Your father and then your dreams. Hell, even your inventions. Making matters worse, your brother took most of it from you. You were betrayed by family, by your twin. You lost so much.”

Betty snorted. “And you didn’t?”

Vivian sighed. “You’re right. Let’s not compare horrors. Let’s look forward to the future and rebuilding everything, including our relationship.” 

Betty nodded and sighed contently. She felt complied to place another kiss to Vivian’s head and did not resist the temptation. “There’s a lot to do, but I feel like I needed something like that. I feel invigorated.”

“That might be the alcohol working its way out of your system,” Vivian teased, giggling.

Betty was kind enough not to bring up that Vivian had been almost as big an alcoholic as she was, but decided against it. They had both been sober since the defeat of Bonnie. Their energy was just so easy to direct to more positive things now that that dark cloud had passed. Between rebuilding the city and the company, that was more than enough to have their hands full, but there was more.

They were driven to work on themselves, too, both individually and as a couple. Plenty of their energy was spent getting to know each other again in every sense of the phrase. They often cuddled as they were now, talking to each other for hours, finding out what was going on in their heads. And, of course, there were other things to do beyond picking each other’s brains. 

Vivian pushed herself a little and playfully rubbed noses with Betty. The action drew a small laugh from the brunette before she went in for a proper kiss. Betty’s hands were lost in Vivian’s hair while Vivian’s hands busied themselves against Betty’s sides.

“You do know I have people coming here soon,” Vivian pointed out.

“Says the woman whose hands are currently in my shirt and dangerously close to my breasts,” Betty chuckled, emotions shining in her onyx eye.

Vivian laughed, too. “They have minds of their own when it comes to you and they don’t know what a schedule is.” She did not try to move her hands.

“Well, until company gets here, how about you leave me and your hands to our own devices,” Betty remarked before going in for another kiss. Vivian responded by kissing the mechanic back.

Eventually they had to get up as they were having company. They were currently living small house that had been easy to move into after the Bonnie incident. Vivian’s building was still standing, but it had a lot of work that needed to be done. She could not even reopen the Silky Android yet because of everything that happened. But, she kept busy, helping Betty to get control of Gemini Corporation and also trying to help in the rebuilding effort around the city.

Vivian quietly bought up several properties, too, planning to use them in the future for several things, like a science museum with the hope of getting children interested in science. She was surprised by how many people were eager to sell property in Go City. She gave them a fair price for it, but they did not seem to care about the money. It seemed there were some people who had given up on the area, even though she was certain that it would be back to normal in no time. Others just seemed to want to get away.

Today, though, they prepared for a huge party. They had invited people they considered family — Shego, Kim, Tara, Felix, and Will. Of course, Will was never too far from Betty, anyway, ready to do her bidding. In fact, he was currently out, gathering materials for Betty to repair several police vehicles, which was something that she volunteered to do after helping reorganize the police force. Will helped out with that as best he could since he was not a mechanic.

The couple also invited the Possible family since they were in town and Shego’s brothers were coming, too. Kim invited her friend Monique. Tara tried to invite Barkin and Ron, but only Ron agreed to come.

Barkin had been keeping his distance after finding out that Shego was in a relationship with Kim. When he had returned to Go City, he tried to butt in on Shego’s life in his loud and bullish fashion. She had promptly told him where to go and how to get there, but he would not take the hint. It was only when she openly kissed Kim in front of him, and a roaring crowd in a club, that he understood he was not her type. He finally walked away from her and out of her life.

Ron, on the other hand, had gotten much closer to the group upon returning to Go City. He did a lot of volunteer work with them, as did Monique. They fit right in, sharing in laughs and stories. They often hung out after doing their volunteer jobs, or actual jobs in their cases. Ron had found work as a short-order cook in one of the few diners that were up and running. He found this work much more fulfilling than GJ. Monique worked in one of the clothing stores that made it back on its feet, Club Banana it was called.

“I’m so glad everyone could make it,” Vivian said with a smile, standing by Betty as they watched everyone mingle in the backyard.

Betty nodded. “It’s nice, I suppose. Question, did the Possibles already know Shego?” she inquired, mostly because it looked like James Possible was giving her one of those “father talks.” He seemed to do that any time they were in the same general area. 

“I think they met a while ago. Around the time the Possibles came up to Go City,” Vivian answered.

“He must know Shego well then to keep lecturing her,” Betty remarked with a laugh.

Vivian giggled as well and they joined in the celebration. While James went over how Shego needed to treat and take care of Kim (again), Ann went to introduce herself to Betty and Vivian. While having heard a lot about each other, they had not had a chance to formally meet.

“Doctor Possible, I’ve heard you’ve been giving up a lot of shifts over at Go Hospital. I’m impressed by your workload. I feel almost as if I’ve committed sloth when I hear about you,” Vivian commented with a smile.

Ann smiled back. “Oh, please, Kim’s kept me informed of your actions too. You’ve been cleaning up as many buildings as possible to get people back into them. Not to mention, the scrap metal program you’ve started to recycle the Bebes and use the metal for other projects. We’re all doing our parts.”

“I suppose,” Vivian agreed and then glanced over at Kim. “You know, you did a great job with her. She’s incredible, not only did she help save the world, but she makes Shego almost tolerable,” she joked.

“I heard that!” Shego huffed, shaking her fist at the blond. 

“Almost,” Ann said, smiling.

“She’s got the patience of a saint to deal with that,” Betty concurred.

Ann nodded, but she continued smiling. They watched as Kim went and rescued Shego from James, taking her by the arm and pulling the biker away to mingle with the others. James smiled as they walked away. It seemed like he was only hassling Shego as a joke now more than anything else.

It was at that time, in that yard, that everything was normal. It was that normality that promised everything would be fine between all of them. They could all move on rather than be tied down by the past and burdened with crippling pain. They could all heal and help each other. They could live.

-8-8-8-8-

The end.

Thank you guys for sticking with me through this ordeal of a story, but it actually made it through to the end! I hope you enjoyed it. Well, time for me to return to my padded cell. See you next story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna see more of my fanfics, they're all at FFN under [StarvingLunatic](https://www.fanfiction.net/~starvinglunatic). If you wanna see some original stories, you can look at FP under [StarvingLunatic](https://www.fictionpress.com/u/576301/).


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